The Scribe's Crystal
by Severusgirl
Summary: COMPLETED STORY. Aunt Petunia's secret is out! She gives Harry a gift. It is something that will affect events in the coming school year... traditional HP story with heavy Snape emphasis. post OotP.
1. Default Chapter

**CHAPTER ONE**

**THE SECRET**

It was just past midnight on a cloudy summer's night and every house on Privet Drive was in darkness, their occupants retired for the night.

Every house except one.

Behind a small window at number four, a dim light flickered and the head of a person could be seen gazing out.  
Harry Potter was supposed to be reading up on the history of Aurors. He had told Professor McGonagall in his careers interview last year that he would like to become an Auror after leaving Hogwarts. She had been more than encouraging, and it was her suggestion that he used some of the holiday to read up on the subject.

Harry found, however, that his heart wasn't in it. He had been listless and depressed all summer. The horrors of his last term at Hogwarts raged through his mind. Even the Dursleys had begun to notice. Aunt Petunia in particular had been giving him some very odd looks.

The clouds thinned and a full moon appeared. Harry looked up at it and thought of Remus Lupin. He must be at number twelve Grimmauld Place now - Sirius' house.

Sirius...

A cry shattered his thoughts before they could go any further. There followed a commotion which seemed to be coming from his aunt and uncle's room. Standing up quickly, he went to the bedroom door. he could hear footsteps running down the stairs, then Uncle Vernon's voice,

"Petunia. Petunia. Will you _please_ tell me what's going on?"

Harry opened his bedroom door which for some reason had not been locked for two weeks now, and crept silently onto the landing. There were loud snores coming from Dudley's room. Evidently he had not been disturbed by the scream.

He strained his ears, but could hear nothing except Aunt Petunia blowing her nose between whispers. He had just decided to go back to his room when he heard Uncle Vernon say in a very loud whisper,

"A _wizard_!"

Harry's curiosity was aroused. Silently he descended enough steps to enable him to hear better and to peek into the kitchen.

Aunt Petunia was sitting at the table, her handkerchief to her mouth. Uncle Vernon, his face lobster red, stood staring at her as though she had just apparated before his eyes.

"P...Petunia. I...I don't know what to say," stuttered Uncle Vernon.

"Say it makes no difference, please Vernon," Aunt Petunia sounded desperate. "I tell you I'd forgotten about it until..." she flung a hand out towards a magazine lying on the table in front of her. "Until this arrived down the chimney."

Harry craned his neck to try and see the magazine but he was too far away to make anything out clearly.  
Aunt Petunia glanced up at her husband hopefully, but Uncle Vernon's expression had not changed from one of utter disbelief. It seemed to urge Aunt Petunia on to further explanation.

"I've been feeling guilty about not telling you. That's why I'm having nightmares." She wrung her hands. "I was young, Vernon. They came home for the holidays."

Uncle Vernon slowly reached out and picked up the magazine. Now that it was nearer and up the right way, Harry could see it was a copy of _Witch Weekly_ and the large letters announcing the main story:

_'The_ _Muggle Who Loved Sirius Black'._


	2. The Gift

Thanks Zuvalupa; the girl at the rockshow; FemmeLoki; Persephone Lupin; flamethrowerqueen; Thousandl for getting the ball rolling on reviews.

Intelligent Witch: I absolutely agree that format was terrible. Not my doing. I hope this second chapter behaves itself when it uploads.

Mystical Witch: This story was originally posted on a web site which restricted the word count for each chapter - hence the chapters are short. However, always open to suggestions, I will try to merge chapters where I can, to make my postings longer.

lol everyone.

Severusgirl

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**Chapter Two**

**THE GIFT**

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****Harry was reluctant to go down for breakfast the next morning. Not only did he dread the atmosphere that surely would hang heavy over the entire house after the night before, but he had a nasty feeling that it would reverberate onto him. He stayed in his room until he heard Uncle Vernon drive off to work. Then just as he was about to get up, the bedroom door opened slightly and Aunt Petunia slid furtively through the gap. 

She leaned back against the closed door, her body so thin and tense Harry thought it might twang like a guitar string. Her eyes had black rings around them and the veins in her eyeballs were very noticeable. She obviously hadn't been to sleep all night. 

"Er..." Aunt Petunia looked up at him uncertainly. "Before Dudley wakes up, I want to give you this." She put her hand into the pocket of her dressing gown and brought out a velvet covered oblong box which she threw onto Harry's bed. "_Don't_ open it until you are away from here; forget that it was me who gave it to you." 

Harry was lost for words. His Aunt had rarely given him anything before. She saw his bewildered look. 

"I...I knew Sirius Black," she said, looking uncomfortable. "Your mother brought him and James Potter home for a week during the school holidays...he didn't want to play gooseberry so I was forced to go out with them to make up the four. We became...friends. Normally I wouldn't have anything to do with..._that_ world, but he was very...he was...well he gave me _that." _She flung her hand out in the direction of the box. "I think it's some magic thing. I never looked at it after he left. I'd forgotten I had it until...until..." She broke into sobs and babbled something that might have been 'weirdo magazine'. 

Then apparently with supreme effort she pulled herself together and Harry at last recognised the Aunt Petunia he'd always known. She looked at him like a giant wasp about to sting. 

"I'm only giving you this because it's inappropriate that I keep it and I don't know what else to do with it," she hissed. "Remember, this conversation never happened. Dudley and Vernon must never know." 

She turned to go, but stopped and looked back at Harry. 

"He's really dead?" 

Harry looked at her and wished he could answer differently. 

"Yes," he said, through a lump in his throat. 

Aunt Petunia cast her eyes down and, nodding sadly, left the room. 

# 

Harry kept his word and waited until the following week before opening the box Aunt Petunia had given him. He couldn't think of anywhere further removed from Privet Drive with its sterilised, show-home atmosphere than Grimmauld Place. 

Harry had not looked forward to returning there. He would much rather have spent the remainder of the holiday at The Burrow, the Weasley's home, but Dumbledore had insisted the safest place for Harry to be was Grimmauld Place. 

There were not visitors. Ron had told him that apart from one late night meeting on the first day of the holiday, the only visitor had been Dumbledore. He had been one other time, but had left very quickly after reading a letter delivered by an owl, which had zoomed in so fast it had almost collided with Dumbledore's head. 

Reminders of Sirius were everywhere and although Harry tried to put on a brave face, every so often he would start from a daydream, unsure how long he had sat there staring into space. 

Mrs. Weasley kept them all busy. She seemed to think keeping Harry occupied was the best way of distracting him and it had been a few days before he remembered the velvet box Aunt Petunia had thrown at him, and took it down to show Mr. Weasley. 

"I think it's a Scribe's Crystal," said Mr. Weasley, sounding surprised as he took the object from the box. "What a beauty! They use them in the Mythical Research Department. Yes, yes, I know how that sounds," he smiled, as Harry and Ron grinned broadly at each other. "I sometimes think they _may_ be mythical, we hardly ever see them." 

"So what does a Scribe's Crystal do?" asked Harry, watching Mr. Weasley turn it over to study it. 

It looked like a small two-handled magnifying glass. The round disc of glass was a midnight blue colour with tiny shooting stars gliding across it. The two flat curving handles appeared to be made of silver. 

"It translates any writing into the language of the reader. For instance, if I were to have a manuscript that was in another language or indecipherable, by reading it through the glass, I would understand what it said." 

"Should come in useful for reading Ron's letters home," said Fred, coming through into the kitchen, all ready dressed for work. 

Harry had hardly seen Fred and George since he arrived. They left for work in a hurry and came home late at night. He hadn't had a chance to ask how the joke shop was doing. He looked up eagerly as they came in, hoping they would sit down and have a meal at last, but they just picked up a slice of toast each and headed back through the door, letting two owls fly into the kitchen at the same time. 

"Fred! George! For goodness sakes, sit down and have a decent breakfast," pleaded Mrs. Weasley, wiping her hands on a tea towel. 

"No time, Mum. Got stock arriving this morning," said George, taking the post and putting a coin in the second owl's pouch. "Mum, you still haven't cancelled your subscription to _'Witch Weekly'._" He held up a copy of the magazine. 

"Oh, dear. I really must try and remember to cancel it. There's just been so much going on, I keep forgetting. Put it over there with the others, George." 

"Will you be coming up to Diagon Alley later?" asked Fred. 

"I expect so, yes. And I'll be bringing you two a decent lunch." 

The twins left and Harry wandered over to the pile of magazines sitting on a table in the corner. It was obvious from their pristine condition they hadn't been read. He flicked through the pile until he reached the issue he'd seen in front of Aunt Petunia. 

"Er, Mrs. Weasley," he said, extracting the magazine from the pile. "Would you mind if I borrowed one of your magazines?" 

Mrs. Weasley turned, looking mildly surprised. 

"No, not at all dear, if you really want to. I won't be reading them; too much to do." 

Harry took the magazine and glanced at Ron, expecting to be asked why on earth he wanted to read '_Witch Weekly', _but Ron was staring at the letter he held in his hands, his eyes open wide in amazement. 

"Ron?" 

Ron looked up slowly. 

"It's a letter from Hogwarts," he said. "It says we're not to catch the Hogwarts Express. Sixth and Seventh year students are to travel by portkey to Hogsmead. And look at the time they want us! We'll miss the feast!" 

"They'll wait for you," said Mr. Weasley. 

Ron and Harry turned their heads quickly to look at him. 

"Do you know something about this, Dad?" 

"Of course. They had to send parents details of the portkeys." 

"But why can't we catch the train like we always do?" 

"Another case of Dumbledore upsetting Fudge, I'm afraid. It's got something to do with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. And that's as much as I know."


	3. Headline News

Thank you for all the encouragement. For goodness sakes, please someone hurry up and review this chapter and get me off 13 reviews! Please! lol, Severusgirl.

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**Chapter Three**

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**HEADLINE NEWS**

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****Shopping in Diagon Alley was not the usual happy experience. Mrs. Weasley was very dithery, peering into shops and then deciding not to go in for the time being; fussing over Harry and insisting he walk beside her all the time. 

Harry tried not to mind being treated like a child. He knew from Ron that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had worked hard persuading Dumbledore to let him come to Diagon Alley at all. Harry decided the best way of dealing with the humiliation of Mrs. Weasley's fussing was to hold her arm and guide her through the crowded streets in a manner that suggested _he _was taking care of _her. _

Diagon Alley had a strange feel about it this year. The place was still very crowded with people busting around but it seemed as though not many wanted to linger as before. They hurried along, juggling their packages, barely having time to nod to the people they met along the way. The coffee shops and cafes no longer had tables standing on the pavement. The only shop which still had them was Florean Fortescue's ice-cream parlour, but even then, all the tables were empty. 

The only place which seemed to have a lot of people standing still was Gringott's Bank. 

As they arrived, Mrs. Weasley gasped and squeezed past the end of the queues for the counters, which had almost reached as far back as the entrance to the bank. There was a continuous rumble of voices as people complained and grumbled to each other about the abysmal service. 

The goblin in charge of the vaults looked very forbidding as they approached, made a great fuss of checking and rechecking their papers, and practically scowled when he could find no excuse to refuse them entry. 

They were accompanied to the vaults by Griphook who did not speak or even look at them during the entire transaction. 

The only uplifting part of the whole shopping experience was when they looked in on Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Fred and George's newly acquired joke shop. 

Painted pink with bright measle-type spots all over the building, the shop could be seen from quite a distance. As they approached, Harry saw the door had been made to look like a huge red nose and a very loud raspberry noise greeted them as they pushed it open. 

It was the brightest shop in the whole Alley. The walls twinkled with what looked like fireworks, moonbeams and pixie-sparkles standing in jars on shelves. The ceiling had been covered in a mirror, so that when you looked up, your face looked hugely distorted and covered in different coloured boils. The floor had tiles which every now and then shouted things like '_Ow_!' and _'Oi! Watch where you put your feet!', _causing first-time customers like themselves to jump out of the way, apologising to fresh air. 

The twins looked very grown-up and businesslike considering George had a number of butterflies fluttering around on his head and Fred's face had a different nose every time Harry looked at him. 

"We're really busy at the moment," said Fred as he finished wrapping a joke boggart for a small boy. "The fireworks don't seem to be selling as well as we'd hoped, but the smaller jokes...can't stock enough of them. We've just taken a fresh order of 'Duty Lips' - for when your mum forces you to kiss your auntie - they've sold really well, and also 'Assid Drops' that give you donkey ears." 

"Quite a few Hogwarts people have been in to say hello," said George as he opened the picnic hamper Mrs. Weasley had brought with her. "Sold plenty of Skiving Snack Boxes to them." 

"Saw Malfoy looking in the window yesterday," said Fred through a mouthful of sandwich. "He was steaming up the glass until he caught sight of me watching him, then he walked away. Don't want_ his_ money anyway." 

It was late afternoon when they finally finished all their shopping. The news vendors were out selling the wizard evening paper '_The Evening Star'. _Ron and Harry exchanged glances as they spotted the headlines: 

**_YOU KNOW WHO -_**

**_MINISTER _**

**_SPEAKS_**

**__**"Well, that was successful, if a bit strange," said Mrs. Weasley as they all arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, sinking into a chair and they dropping her packages on the floor. 

"Molly?" 

Mr. Weasley had arrived earlier to reserve a big enough table to house them all, and the Grangers who would be joining them. 

"We managed to avoid the Goyles," she said as she got her breath back. "And the Malfoys were here yesterday, apparently. There was a nasty moment with Mrs. Crabbe in Madam Malkin's but I managed to leave quickly without her seeing me. Oh, thank you, dear." 

The barmaid had brought the drinks to the table and handed them out. Mrs. Weasley took a sip of coffee before continuing. 

"But there was trouble at the bank. Those goblins are getting very slack in their customer service. And the queues! I've never seen so many people in there before. The service has gone down hill dreadfully." 

"Well you know, Molly," said Mr. Weasley in a low voice. "No one can be sure which way the goblins will go. Where their loyalties lie. I know Fudge has been having frantic discussions with the bank's board of directors, but many people are threatening to take their money out and close their accounts, just in case." 

At that moment, someone entered through the door that led onto the muggle street, which seemed to remind Mr. Weasley that he was sitting next to the window that looked out over the very same. 

Harry couldn't help smiling as Mr. Weasley's enthralled face followed the muggle commuters rushing by on their way home from work. But then Harry saw the look of delight freeze on Mr. Weasley's face for a moment before a frown appeared. 

A shout from Ginny announced the arrival of Hermione and her parents. They entered the pub through the wizard side, loaded down with shopping. 

There followed a lot of hugging and kissing and talk about having to use the Portkey. Mr. Weasley's face was full of interest again as he sat down next to Mr. Granger and began asking him about batteries. 

Harry took a look out of the window. At first he could see nothing but people and traffic, but then a break in the line of taxis and buses gave Harry a clear view across the road to the muggle newspaper stall. The headlines on the board read: 

**_HOSPITAL_**

**_PATIENTS -_**

**_ANOTHER _**

**_DISAPPEARANCE_**

# 

Arriving by Portkey wasn't nearly as exciting as travelling on the Hogwarts Express. Students just arrived out of thin air outside their designated shop, and the noise outside the Three Broomsticks grew steadily as friends met each other for the first time since last term. 

Malfoy was standing with his usual bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. They didn't come near Harry's group, but Malfoy kept shooting Harry venomous looks whilst whispering to the other two. 

Pansy Parkinson was also standing close to Malfoy but was distracted by the contents of a cage she had in her hands. She was lifting it to her face and making kissing noises at it, and her presence eventually drew Malfoy's attention from Harry. 

Inevitably, most of the talk was about exam results. 

With Professor Umbridge's dire teaching, most people had received 'A' or less for their Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, so it was with a surge of pride and delight Harry learned that all the members of the DA that had sat DADA OWLs had received 'O's. For some, including Ron, it was the only 'O' they had achieved and they voiced their gratitude to Harry, making his face burn. 

Harry had received the results he needed to continue through to NEWTs in all subjects except Potions. Professor McGonagall had told him he needed an 'O' and he'd got an 'E'. Even this had surprised him, but he knew it wasn't enough for Snape to admit him into his NEWTs class. 

Hermione, unsurprisingly, had received straight 'O's. 

"Except one," she told them, looking forlorn. "I only got an 'E' in Divination. 

"But you didn't even _take _Divination!" said Ron, astounded. 

"I know," she said, grinning suddenly and giving Ron a friendly push. "They sent me someone else's result by mistake." 

"No," said Ron. "It's just typical you, isn't it - you've gone and passed an exam you didn't even sit." 

# 

The carriages arrived to take them to the castle. Harry noticed Ron squinting at them, and he guessed he was trying to see the invisible Thestrals that had taken them to London last year. 

It was a short journey to Hogwarts, the longest part seemed to be inside the grounds, going around the lake. Hermione pointed out a great dark shape in the middle of the lake. 

"Probably the squid coming up for air," said Ron, uninterested. 

"No, it's too big," she said, peering through the darkness. "It looks like an island or something." 

"Well you'll be able to see in the morning when it's light." 

# 

Mr. Weasley had been right. The feast had been held back until the sixth and seventh year students had arrived. The sorting of the first years had all ready taken place, and as Harry looked at the unknown, nervous faces sitting at the Gryffindor table, he marvelled at how small and young they looked. 

"Is Colin all right?" Harry heard Hermione say to Ginny in a low voice. 

Harry looked down the row of faces and saw Colin Creevy sitting slumped in his seat, his eyes glazed and his face pale. 

"I don't know," said Ginny. "He was perfectly OK on the train when I saw him, but someone told me he came over funny in the coach. Kept wanting to get out while it was moving." 

Hermione looked concerned. 

"Shouldn't he go to Madam Pomfrey..?" 

But before anyone could answer, there was tinkling of cutlery on glass and everyone looked up expectantly as Professor Dumbledore stood up. 

There followed the usual welcome and warning to first years not to go into the Forbidden Forest and then, 

"I have a few announcements to make. You will have noticed the absence of Professor Snape from the staff table..." 

A murmur ran around the hall. Harry hadn't noticed. His attention had been taken up with Colin. 

Neville sat up straighter. 

"Professor Snape has been detained by unforeseen circumstances..." 

"Like, we're gonna cry," muttered Ron. 

"But it is hoped he will be returning to his normal teaching duties in the very near future. Coupled with the unceremonious exit by Dolores Umbridge..." Dumbledore paused indulgently as a number of students cheered. "Yes, yes. I therefore have to announce the arrival of two new teachers. Professor Ambrose Polykett, who will be teaching Potions..." 

Dumbledore turned to his right and Harry looked over at an old man who looked as if his face had been squashed in a door. Every feature was elongated, including his hair, which was grey and stood stiffly on end, rather like he'd been zapped by lightning. 

"...and Professor Flight, who will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Flight will not be joining us for evening meals, and will be in the castle during daylight hours only. Therefore if you have any questions about homework, etc. I suggest you catch her while it is light. She will be teaching, not in any of the classrooms, but in the Prefects bathroom on the fifth floor. You will be given a waterproofing spell before your first lesson. Now, let the feast begin..." 

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	4. The Professors

Thanx for all your reviews. Love each and every one. You were supposed to meet Professor Flight in this chapter, but I thought it was getting too long, so you will have to wait until next time. Lol, Severusgirl

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**Chapter Four**

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**The Professors******

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****Rumours began to spread almost immediately. 

Before breakfast the next morning, Harry heard that Snape had: been bitten by a werewolf; went missing when a Portkey he was using malfunctioned; had been sent mad by a fwooper. 

Hermione reported hearing a third-year girl say she had it on good authority that Snape had run off with Delores Umbridge. 

Professor Flight on the other hand had metamorphosed between a mermaid, a very intelligent grindilow and a will-o-the-wisp. 

So when they heard over breakfast that Colin Creevy had been found wandering the grounds in the early hours, wearing his pyjamas and donkey's ears and that he was now in the hospital wing, they didn't know what to believe. 

"Nasty," said Seamus, sucking air through his teeth. "Fancy getting frostbite on your..." 

"Timetables!" announced Hermione. 

Harry took his and was dumbstruck to find he had Potions on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. 

"Well, Snape's not here to object, is he," said Ron. 

"No, but what happens when he gets back?" 

"Perhaps," said Ron in an undertone, "he's not coming back. Perhaps he really has been trapped between Portkeys..." 

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione raised her eyes to heaven and then turned to Harry. "I think Professor McGonagall has swung it for you. She's got Dumbledore to insist you take the class. I'm really glad _someone _I like is doing Potions with me." She turned to looked at Ron's timetable. "What have you got instead of Potions?" 

Ron's face took on a really strange look. 

"Er...I dunno...I er...." 

"_Potions?! _How can _you_ be doing Potions?" Hermione ripped Ron's timetable out of his hands and studied it. 

"I got an 'E' the same as Harry," said Ron indignantly. 

"Yes, but Harry's a special case. He wants to be an Auror and Professor McGonagall said she'd help him..." 

"I want to be an Auror as well!" 

"No you don't, you just _fancy _being an Auror. There is a difference. You don't know what you want to do, that's why you put down all the same subjects as Harry." 

Ron went bright red and snatched back his timetable. He and Hermione didn't speak for the rest of breakfast. 

"Well that didn't last long, did it?" whispered Ginny to Harry as they left the Great Hall. 

"What didn't?" 

"My brother and Hermione," she giggled. "When she leaned over to look at Ron's timetable and their hands touched - I've never seen Ron look so flustered." 

# 

Their first Potions class arrived. It seemed that most people had taken the opportunity to drop out of Snape's lessons and the majority of the class was made up of his favoured Slytherins. They didn't look so full of themselves now that Professor Polykett was taking the lessons. 

"It's pathetic to drop Potions just because they don't like Snape," said Hermione. 

"You dropped Divination," Ron reminded her. 

"But that wasn't _just_ because of Trelawney. It's because I think the whole subject's a waste of time. Unlike Potions. I mean, Potions is a really valuable NEWT to have." 

"Well the others haven't dropped Potions _just_ because they don't like Snape," said Ron. "It's also because he's an evil git." 

Professor Polykett looked startled as they filed in, but as the look remained for the whole lesson, Harry assumed it must be his natural expression. He had a very enthusiastic manner and kept waving his arms in the air, narrowly missing the glass jars standing on the shelves. He spoke about each ingredient as if it was a most precious jewel and his eyes shone as he went around the classroom inspecting everyone's cauldrons. 

When he had finished his inspection, he returned to the front of the class. 

"Now," he said, rubbing his hands together. "All your cauldrons are simmering nicely, add the Incewort Sap and..." 

There was a deafening 'boom' as the contents of each cauldron exploded at once, sending jars cascading to the ground, their putrid sticky substances forming rivers across the floor. 

As the purple smoke cleared, Professor Polykett surveyed the scene. 

"Amazing!" he beamed. 

# 

A number of people had scalded the tips of their fingers. Professor Polykett summoned up a cooling charm so quickly, it seemed obvious to Harry that he'd used it often. 

Hermione had singed her hair, but Ron had come off worse. His nose had a layer of skin burned away and it now shone red like a beacon. As he couldn't see where he was going due to his eyes watering so much, Harry accompanied him to the Hospital Wing. 

"Hmmm. It's quite nasty," said Madam Pomfrey as she examined Ron's nose. "I can give you something to relieve the pain, but I am afraid you'll have to keep a rhinocoral over the burn for a couple of days. Wait there while I prepare it." 

"What's a rhinocoral?" asked Harry when Madam Pomfrey had left the ward. 

"Dunnodon'tcare," said Ron, his hand still cradling his nose. "As long as she stops the pain." 

"Pretty empty up here, isn't it," said Harry, looking around. "Still, we've only been back a couple of days. Suppose people haven't had time to get ill or injured yet." 

"Good thing it's empty. Don't want people to see my nose like this, and Colin's behind screens, so he can't see me anyway." Ron nodded to the far end of the ward where screens surrounded a bed. "Wonder how his ears are?" Ron grinned, but it obviously hurt his nose as his whole body jolted and his eyes filled with water again. 

"I'll go and see how he is," said Harry, walking up the ward. "Hey Colin. Colin, you awake?" 

Harry pulled the screen open enough to fit his head through, and froze. 

Lying in the bed as if dead, his left shoulder and upper body heavily bandaged, was Snape. 

# 

"So he's obviously been attacked by something," said Hermione when they had their first chance to tell her, in the library that evening. 

"Or some_one," _said Ron. 

"But who? That's the question." 

"Oooooh, let's think," said Ron, tapping his finger on his chin. "How about _everyone he's ever met?"_

__"Tch, I'm being serious," said Hermione lowering her voice. "Suppose he was injured on a mission for the Order?" 

"You know, I hope in a way that Snape _is _working for the other side. A couple of days with him and You-Know-Who'll give himself up..." 

"RON!" Hermione slammed the palm of her hand on the table, making everyone in the surrounding area jump and causing Madam Pince to send a warning look in their direction. 

Hermione lowered her voice again. 

"Will you stop with the constant anti-Snape talk. Dumbledore trusts him and that should be good enough for us, OK?" 

"Well it's not good enough for me," said Ron. "I mean, with all due respect, Dumbledore hasn't exactly been a good judge of character where the Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers are concerned, has he? So he could be wrong about Snape." 

Hermione gave Ron a scathing look, but Harry thought Ron had a good point. 

"You say Snape was at the meeting at the beginning of the holidays?" Harry asked. 

"Yeah, there were loads of people. Then we saw no one except Dumbledore a couple of times. Then he got that urgent owl and left almost immediately." 

"Ohhhh, it's so irritating there's no one to ask!" said Hermione through gritted teeth. 

"Sirius would have told us," said Harry and was helpless to stop a great wave of sadness sweep over him. 

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, not knowing what to say. 

"How about Bill?" Harry didn't really think Bill would help, but he wanted to break the silence he'd caused. 

"No, he wouldn't tell us anything," said Ron. "How about Lupin?" 

"We don't know where he is," Hermione reminded them. "We can't go sending him an owl when he may be undercover or in hiding." 

"Lupin's back at headquarters," said Ron. 

Harry and Hermione stared at him. 

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Harry. 

"Well, I only knew this morning. Mum sent me some clippings on the Chuddley Cannons and she just added a little note saying Lupin was back, that's all." 

"I don't think he'd tell us anything anyway," said Harry. "Hey! How about Fred and George?" 

"They're hardly ever home," Ron reminded him. 

"Yes, but they're the only ones who would tell us if they _had _heard anything," said Harry. 

"It's worth a try," agreed Ron. "Let's send them an owl."


	5. Head Boys

Thanks you five for sticking with it.

FemmeLoki - hereby named official nubile nymph in sexy nurse's uniform. OK?

Helena Oe: Shucks! Now THAT is flattery.

JessiokaFroka - so would I be heartbroken, but that doesn't mean you can be complacent. (btw, are you still interested in betareading Madness II? because it's ready. Send me an email if you are.)

Thousandl - Don't worry, my stories are never far from Snape - lots to come.

Persephone Lupin - Hit by the Night Bus? With _his _grey underpants? Oh dear!

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**Chapter Five**

**HEAD BOYS**

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****Ron was bearing up well considering the rhinocoral - a triangular yellow shield that stuck to his nose and protected it while the skin grew back. It looked like a beak and the colour clashed vividly with his face, which turned bright red whenever he walked past groups of girls. 

"Why did it have to happen now, just when I'm about to see this new female teacher for the first time?" he wailed. "Ginny's seen her. She says she's hot." 

Hermione looked at him scornfully. 

"That's what she said, is it? Ginny said Professor Flight was 'hot'?" 

"Well," said Ron uncomfortably. "She said she was beautiful." 

Hermione was kept busy helping those who couldn't quite get the hang of the Impervious spell to make them waterproof before they entered the Prefects bathroom. 

Professor Flight was sitting on a rock that was standing in the back of the enormous bath. The water looked more like sea water than anything Harry would like to bathe in. It lapped gently around the rock, just below Professor Flight's feet. 

She sat watching them as they settled around the edge of the bath, her blue eyes sparkling as she surveyed them. Her hair was long and flowing, looking as though it were made of feathers. It arched over her eyes and came to a point over her nose. 

She was dressed in a robe of watery silver that looked rather like the material that made up Harry's invisibility cloak, only more solid. The robe seemed to be held up by a magnificent necklace; a wreath of feathers in oranges, browns, reds and yellows. 

Ginny had been right. She was very beautiful, with high cheekbones and bow-shaped lips, and when she spoke, her voice floated gently to Harry's ears like waves lapping on a beach. 

He looked at Ron who had a glazed expression on his face. Harry nudged him and he jumped. 

"Veela?" whispered Harry. 

"Mmmmmm, who cares." He went back to his gaze. 

"This term, we shall be concentrating on the dark arts and the water. My name is Flight. For the duration of my time here, you will address me as 'Professor Flight'." She looked as though she found this mildly amusing. "To quell your curiosity, I am neither mermaid or talking hippogriff. I am a member of the Sisterhood of Sirens. Anyone..?" 

She offered the question to the class and as she lifted her arms, a pair of large white wings unfurled momentarily behind her. 

"Beautiful women whose singing voices lure sailors to their death at sea," said Hermione, who had raised her hand. 

Professor Flight smiled. 

"That is the _Muggle_ version," she said, and Hermione looked both taken aback and a little deflated. "We sing actually to _warn_ of impending danger. Most of those in the magical world understand. Unfortunately, Muggles become enraptured by our voices and follow us rather than turn away. We are part human, part bird. We cannot fly to any great heights, but skim across the surface of the water quicker than any living beasts. 

"And yes, we _are_ related to Veela," she ended, looking directly at Harry. 

# 

Ron received a reply from Fred and George the next morning at breakfast. They sent a box of Canary Creams and a very short letter: 

"_Dear Ron, Harry and Hermione,_

_Midnight, Friday,_

_Gryffindor Common Room._

_See you there,_

_Fred and George."_

__Ron looked up at Harry and Hermione. 

"They're using the Floo network. Both Fred and George's heads in the fire - that's really put me off my breakfast." 

# 

Harry, Ron and Hermione managed to secure the armchairs nearest the fire in the Common Room on Friday evening. 

Gradually the room emptied - a couple of fifth years were the last to leave. In fact, George's head appeared in the fire just as they left. 

"Evening," said George. "Oh, cool nose, Ron. Fred'll be here in a sec. Thought I'd get a _head_ start!" 

Fred's head appeared next to George's. 

"Nice face-furniture, Ron," then looking at George, "sorry to interrupt, you go _ahead!"_

"How are you two managing to do this without Mum knowing?" asked Ron, ignoring their comments. 

"We're using the fireplace at the shop. We've told Mum we're stocktaking," said Fred. 

"S'weird to be back," said George. "Always knew I'd make _Head_ Boy!"__

"Will you two stop mucking around and tell us what you know." 

"OK, but we don't know a lot. We're hardly ever home and when we are, Mum seems to be one step ahead (_ahead!_ ha ha) of our spy plans," said George.__

"Do you know what's happened to Professor Snape?" asked Hermione. 

"Only that Lupin arrived back last week in a terrible state," said George. 

"I mean, he's always looked a bit rough, but he really was in a right state. From what we can make out, putting two and two together, Lupin's convinced he attacked Snape during a full moon." 

"Whoa! So the rumours were right," said Ron, stunned. 

"But why would he have changed into a werewolf if Snape was on hand to give him his potion?" said Harry. 

"And even if he _did_ attack Professor Snape, a werewolf attack wouldn't put someone in a coma-like state like Ron and Harry described. Or for this long," said Hermione.__

"That's exactly what Dumbledore thinks," said Fred. "We think Lupin's agreed to let Dumbledore give him some potion that'll help him remember the truth." 

"Is Professor Dumbledore giving Professor Lupin his werewolf potion as well?" asked Hermione. 

"No. He's been getting that from St.Mungo's," said George. "Remember that bloke in the bed opposite Dad? He'd been bitten by a werewolf. Well apparently Lupin's been counselling him and they've become quite good friends. So with all his regular trips to St. Mungo's, Lupin's been getting his potion from there. It means he doesn't have to rely on Snape."__

Good thing, too," said Ron. "Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!" 

"We wondered who was making the potion, with Snape being sick," said Harry. 

"Talking of Snape, how are you getting on with the temporary teacher while Snape's away?" asked Fred, a funny gleam in his eye. 

"Polykett? He's mad!" said Ron. "Our first Potions lesson he made our cauldrons explode - that's why I've got to wear this stupid thing." He pointed to the rhinocoral. 

Fred and George looked at each other and grinned. 

"What?" snapped Ron. 

"He's not standing in for Snape," said George, still grinning broadly. 

"Yes, he is," said Harry. "He's gradually wrecking the Potions Room. Ron's right - he's mad." 

"Polykett might be teaching Potions, but he's not Snape's stand-in," said Fred. 

"Got a rather attractive Siren teaching you, haven't you?" said George. 

"Yes, but she's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Hermione. 

"Correction. She's the _temporary _Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Fred. 

The twins grinned at their bemused faces. Then Hermione caught her breath and Harry suddenly realised what the twins were saying 

"You are _joking!" s_pluttered Ron. 

"We run a rather successful joke shop, but we're not joking about this," said George. "Snape finally landed the DADA job. The Siren is teaching you until Snape returns." 

"But...but how come he's got it now, after all these years?" said Harry. 

"Dunno," said Fred. "The only thing we can think is that Lucius Malfoy's not on the Board of Governors at the school. He's in jail so he can't have any influence on who gets the job." 

"But Dumbledore..." 

"Why do you think Dumbledore's been employing such duff DADA teachers? So that every year they leave and Snape gets another chance to apply for the job," said George. 

"Anyway, that's all we know and my knees are killing me," said Fred. 

"Yeah, we've got to go," said George. "We'll let you know if we hear anything else." 

They disappeared from the fire. The other three looked at each other in amazement. 

"Who's going to be the one to break the news to Neville?" said Hermione. "He gave up Potions because he's terrified of Snape and now he's got him for Defence Against the Dark Arts." 

Suddenly George's head reappeared in the fire. 

"Harry; forgot - ought to warn you. They're talking about stopping you going into Hogsmeade at Halloween." 

"_What?!_ Why?" 

"Because you're still at the top of You-Know-Who's hit-list. Dumbledore doesn't want you caught off your guard. Thought you ought to know." 

And he was gone. 

"Dumbledore doesn't want me 'caught off my guard'?" said Harry in a daze. 

"It sounds as if he's expecting an attack at any moment," said Ron. 

"How's your scar, Harry?" asked Hermione, anxiously. "You haven't mentioned it hurting." 

"That's because it's easier to tell you when it _doesn't_ hurt," said Harry.__

"I suppose you would be a bit vulnerable, wouldn't you?" said Ron. "I mean, imagine strolling through Hogsmeade with a mouth full of Honeyduke's toffee and suddenly You-Know-Who appears in front of you." 

"No, it's not that..." said Harry, thoughtfully. He looked from Ron to Hermione and wondered if what he was about to do was the right thing. They were his best friends, but he hadn't yet found the right time to tell them about his talk with Dumbledore last year. 

"At the end of last term, Dumbledore told me about the Prophecy. The one Voldemort was after. The Prophecy was made by Professor Trelawny before I was born." 

Harry took a deep breath and repeated the words of the Prophecy. Words that had been spinning around in his brain all summer. 

Ron and Hermione stared at him. Hermione had gone white. 

"Oh, Harry," she said, thickly. 

"So, '_neither can live while the other survives'_," said Ron. "That means..." 

"It means," said Hermione, her voice cracking. "That Harry either has to _kill_ Voldemort, or be killed _by_ him. They can't both survive." 

"Bloody Hell!" 

"I've just realised why I'm being protected so much," said Harry. "Remember back in our second year, when we had to look after those Mandrakes? Who would choose to keep those ugly plants? But Professor Sprout cultivated them until they could be used to cure the people who'd been attacked by the Basilisk." 

"And I'm very grateful she did," said Hermione. 

"And then Hagrid - rearing a herd of Thestrals, which are not pleasant to see for a couple of reasons. He's raised them so they can pull the coaches from the station to the school." 

"Harry, what are you saying?" said Hermione, quietly. 

Harry stood up and began pacing the room. 

"Dumbledore actually told me that his priority was to keep me alive. Why? He said I'm the only one who has the chance of conquering Voldemort for good." Harry gave a short laugh. "I'm not being protected for my own sake. I'm being cultivated just like the Mandrakes, because I'll be useful later on. I'm their only hope of getting rid of Voldemort, so they've got to look after me and nurture me until they reckon I've got the best chance of winning the battle." 

"Harry, that's rubbish and you know it. Dumbledore cares for you, you know that. Even Professor McGonagall's got a soft spot for you," said Hermione. 

Harry thought of the other things Dumbledore had told him. That it could easily have been Neville in this position. If Voldemort had chosen to try and kill baby Neville instead of him, it could have been Neville who'd been wrapped in cotton wool all these years, and he, Harry would be free of the ultimate responsibility that lay ahead. 

"If it was Neville," he said, his voice getting louder by the second. "If it was Neville Voldemort was after, d'you think Dumbledore would pay me as much attention? Be as fond of me? Or would I be just another face amongst all the others here?" 

Ron and Hermione stared at him in silence. 

Harry nodded. 

"Yeah, thought so. Well, Dumbledore's precious weapon is tired of all the protection. I'm going to Hogsmeade at Halloween whether Dumbledore says so or not. Even if I have to blast Filch out of the doorway to get out." 


	6. The Cat In The Map

Hi everyone. I'd really like to try and get this posted before THBP comes out (how many people are going to be visiting FanFic THAT week, huh?), but I don't think it's possible. Never mind...

To remind you of the story so far:

Witch Weekly reveals that Aunt Petunia dated Sirius when Lily brought him and James home for the holidays. Sirius gave Petunia the Scribe's Crystal (a kind of magnifying glass that translates any writing into the language of the reader), which she gives to Harry when her secret is revealed. As they prepare to return to Hogwarts, the sixth-years are instructed to travel by Portkey rather than the Hogwart's Express. Snape is not present at the beginning of term, but no explaination is given as to why. When Ron has to go to the Hospital Wing because of an injured nose, (and ends up having to wear a Rhinocoral shield on it) he and Harry discover Snape, heavily bandaged and unconcious. Fred and George reveal that Snape at last got the DADA job, but due to his 'indisposition', Professor Flight (a Siren) has stepped in. The new Potions Master is Professor Polykett. Colin Creevey has been acting strange...

**THE CAT IN THE MAP**

Colin Creevy was found wandering in the grounds again two nights later.

"Someone keeps playing a trick on me," he said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the common room table. Hermione was doing Ancient Runes homework, Harry and Ron were coming to the end of a game of wizard chess.

Colin and Ginny were sitting in the armchairs nearby and Harry couldn't help overhearing their conversation.

"Madam Pomfrey gave me some Sirenity Drops..."

"Sirenity Drops?" said Ginny.

"Yes, they stop me hearing Professor Flight when she sings at night time," said Colin. "Professor Flitwick has charmed the lake so no one in the castle can hear her, but I can because I've got muggle blood AND mum and dad are both musical - makes my ears more sensitive to the singing apparently. Anyway, someone's been swopping my Sirenity Drops for Assid Drops, so my ears turn into donkeys ears."

"George said they'd done well out of Hogwarts students," whispered Ron out of the corner of his mouth.

"So that's why we needed to use a Portkey instead of the Hogwarts Express," whispered Hermione.

"Sorry, you've lost me," said Harry.

"The first year students couldn't come across the lake in boats as usual because no one knew how many would be affected by the Siren and jump in. They had to use the carriages meant for us."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron shrugged and moved his knight.

"Checkmate," he said, leaning back in triumph with his hands behind his head.

Harry looked down at Hermione's homework.

"Hermione, you've been on that ages," he said.

"I'm glad I didn't take Ancient Runes," said Ron, also peering at Hermione's work. "Looks really complicated."

"Oh, no. It's fun. It's really tough this year though. This particular page is very hard to translate."

The word 'translate' jogged something in Harry's brain.

"Hermione," said Harry. "Stay there, I might be able to help you."

He hurried upstairs to his trunk and took out the velvet box Aunt Petunia had given him. It was underneath Mrs. Weasley's copy of 'Witch Weekly'. Harry paused as he picked up the magazine. He hadn't looked at it yet and he wasn't sure if he wanted to. Most of it would be exaggerated or full-blown lies. In fact, he didn't want to think about Aunt Petunia and Sirius, _however_ it was presented. Even now, the very thought made him feel queezy. He tucked the magazine down the side of the trunk and took the velvet box down to the common room.

"Try this," he said, handing her the box.

Hermione frowned as she removed the Scribe's Crystal.

"What is it?"

"Look at the runes with it," said Harry and laughed at the look of astonishment on Hermione's face as she did.

"Oh, wow! This is fantastic. But...well...Harry? Don't you think it's cheating?"  
Ron made a sort of scoffing noise.

"No," said Harry quickly, before Ron could say anything. "You've been working on that translation for hours. This is an aid, for when you get stuck. Keep it for a while. I'm not using it."

"It's beautiful, thank you. Where did you get it?"

"Oh...um...well, it belonged to Sirius." Harry couldn't bear to open up the inevitable discussion that would begin if he mentioned Aunt Petunia's name as well.

"Of course," said Hermione. "I should have guessed - with the snake handles and all."

"Snake handles?"

"Yes. Hadn't you noticed? Look. Two silver snakes, both shaped like the letter 'S'. Like the ones at Grim...you know." She held the Crystal towards him.

Now Harry looked closely, he could see quite clearly the two snakes. He wondered how he could have missed them. He also wondered why snakes seemed to feature so heavily in his life.

"Fancy another game?" Ron asked Harry.

"Haven't you two got Defence Against the Dark Arts homework?" said Hermione, looking up from her book.

"Done it!" they both said proudly.

"Hmmmm," Hermione narrowed her eyes. "This new efficiency at homework wouldn't have anything to do with Professor Flight being related to Veela, would it?"

It was getting late. Gradually the common room emptied.

Harry was concentrating on his next move. He was not as good as Ron at wizard chess and liked to study the board for any sly moves Ron might have made.

Ron, who usually ended up very bored waiting for Harry to move, had taken to amusing himself by spying on people using the Marauders map.

"Moaning Murtle's whizzing around the washstand," he said.

Harry didn't reply. He was concentrating on the chess pieces. Hermione gave a short hum in response.

"Colin Creevy's safely tucked up in bed."

"Uh hu," said Hermione from deep within her book.

"Malfoy's on the move. What's he up to in the corridors at this time of night? Hey! What the..."

Ron had been rocking on the back legs of his chair. He let the chair fall forward with a bang, making Harry and Hermione jump.

"There are two Malfoys on this map! Look!" He turned the map towards Harry and pointed. "There's a Malfoy in the Slytherin common room and a Malfoy on the sixth floor staircase. See?"

Hermione peered at the moving dot.

"It can't be!" she said, shocked. "He's in Azkaban!"

"The map doesn't lie, Hermione," Harry reminded her. "That dot on the staircase is definitely Lucius Malfoy."

Harry fetched the invisibility cloak. It was now impossible for all three of them to fit underneath. Hermione volunteered to stay behind in the common room and go to Professor McGonnegal if Harry and Ron were not back within thirty minutes.

Ron and Harry stumbled off in the direction of Lucius Malfoy, keeping a check on his whereabouts by stopping every so often underneath one of the lit torches along the corridors and checking the Maurauders Map. They met no one except one of the fifth year prefects, presumably returning from the newly appointed bathroom on the third floor. Other than that, the corridors were empty.

As quickly as they could they made their way towards the location of the dot. Everything was so quiet, they almost jumped out of their skin when one of the staircases below them decided to move with a heavy echoing moan.

"Right," whispered Harry, rolling up the map and taking out his wand. "According to the map, he's on this floor. Take it easy and..."

"Look out!" hissed Ron suddenly and bundled Harry into the nearest doorway so that Harry was facing the door and the map was crushed to his chest. "I saw a shadow moving."

"I can't see," Harry hissed back.

"Shhhhh!"

They stood in silence, holding their breath and straining their ears for the least little sound. Then Ron sighed.

"It's OK. It was only Mrs. Norris. She's just walked across the top of the corridor. Come on, where to now?"

Harry uncrumpled the map and opened it out under a torch.

"Where's he gone?" asked Ron.

There were just two dots moving in the area. Madam Pomfrey and the one that Ron had watched crossing the top of their corridor.

"Ron! It wasn't Mrs. Norris. Look!"

Harry pointed to the dot. The label was clearly marked 'Lucius Malfoy'.

They watched in silence as the dot moved steadily down the staircases towards the Slytherin Common Room.

Realising they had used a good chunk of thirty minutes, they made their way back to Hermione as quickly as they dared.

"That must be how he escaped from Azkaban," said Harry. "The same as Sirius did. Lucius Malfoy is an animagus!"

Ron grabbed Harry's arm.

"Remember that cage Malfoy had next to him, the night we used the Portkeys to get us to Hogsmeade?" he said. "The one Pansy Parkinson was clucking at? I bet that was him! I bet it was Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy's dad is also his cat!"

* * *

"What IS that on your nose, Weasley?" Malfoy drawled the next day at breakfast. "You know I'll support any attempt to hide your ugly face, but that looks ridiculous. Or are you practising to be a Siren when you grow up?" 

Ron, who had been bearing up quite well to wearing the Rhinocoral, had opened his mouth to answer when Harry spoke.

"How's your cat, Malfoy?"

"Cat?" said Malfoy, looking at Harry as if Harry were a piece of dirt on his shoe. "What cat? I haven't got a cat."

"I'VE got a cat." Pansy Parkinson slithered up to Malfoy and linked arms with him. "Draco gave him to me. He's a pedigree. Not like SOME I could mention." She looked down her nose at Hermione as she said this and Harry had a horrible feeling she wasn't referring to Crookshanks. "I've called him Lucius, after Draco's dad. He has special magical powers - pure white cats do."

"Oh, are you SURE he's pure white?" asked Hermione, sweetly. "No _dark marks_ on him anywhere?"

* * *

"Mrs Norris? Mrs. Norris!" exclaimed Harry as they made their way up the stairs. "How can you mistake a pure white cat for Mrs. Norris?" 

"I dunno. It was dark - she was a long way off..." said Ron.

"But pure white cats are practically luminous!"

"OK, OK. I made a mistake. Sorreeeey. It doesn't change the fact that the cat could be JUST a cat. If Pansy's named it Lucius, then it would have that label attached on the Maurauders Map, wouldn't it?"

"That's just it," Harry reminded him. "Pansy said she'd called the cat 'Lucius', not 'Lucius Malfoy'."

Professor Flitwick had them practising Whispering Charms which enabled you to whisper to someone across a crowded room and only they would hear you. Judging by the gawfs and splutters that filled the classroom, half the class were taking the opportunity to repeat rude jokes.

After lunch it was down to the dungeon for Potions.

"Oh no! Not Incewort Sap again," groaned Ron. "The man's a maniac!"

Everyone in the class took a step back from the tables when the time came for adding the sap. They held the phials at arms length as they dripped the purple liquid into their cauldrons.

The explosion, though less violent than the previous, had enough force to blow parchments off the tables. People scrabbled to pick them up, grateful they still had fingers to do so.

Ron's parchment seemed to have picked up a particularly strong jet stream and glided across the floor and into the store room. He chased after it and came back a few moments later with a puzzled look on his face.

* * *

"Ron!" 

Ron had been sitting in the common room, absent-mindedly tapping a small green bottle onto the table for the past five minutes or so, and Hermione had finally flipped.

He looked up at her, but Harry could tell by the look on his face, that he was totally unaware of how annoying the tapping had been. Ron held the bottle towards them.

"This is something," he said, indicating the bottle. "I've seen this bottle somewhere and I can't remember..."

"You found it on the floor in the Potions store room," Hermione reminded him.

"I know that! I mean somewhere else. This was on the floor..."

Hermione raised her eyes to heaven and bent over her homework again, just as Crookshanks leapt onto her lap.

"Oh, tch. Crookshanks!" She put down her quill and began stroking the cat. Ron stared at her.

"That's it!" said Ron. "I know where I've seen this before. I saw an identical bottle hanging round Malfoy's neck."

"He wears a tie. How could you see anything around his neck?" said Harry.

"Not Malfoy the prat, Malfoy the CAT! It had one just like it hanging from its collar."

Hermione looked worried.

"I don't like this..." she said.

"AND I've just remembered something else," Ron went on. "When I stood up after picking this up from the floor, there were phials on the shelf level with my head. They were full of white hairs. D'you think they could have been cat's hairs?"

Hermione shut her homework books briskley and put them back in her bag.

"I'm going to Professor McGonnagal."

"Wait! If you tell her, you'll have to explain about the Maurauders Map," said Ron, shocked.

"OH, RON! Does it matter? Things are getting too dangerous now. Why else do you think Professor Flight is singing at night? Voldermort isn't a 'perhaps' anymore, he's BACK, and we know what Malfoy is..."

"Ok, Ok. We'll sacrifice the map..."

Professor McGonagall stared at the map in astonishment.

"I've heard of such things," she said, "but I've never actually seen one."

"Professor, if you look..." Harry began, but Professor McGonagall continued to study the map closely.

"The existence of this map certainly solves a lot of unanswered questions," she said. "Both past and present."

Harry felt the urgency of the situation was not communicating itself to Professor McGonagall. Once again he opened his mouth to speak, but Professor McGonagall got in first.

"How did you aquire this little gem, Mr. Potter?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other in horror. Harry had expected this question at some point, but he hadn't worked out an answer. Fred and George had left the school and were now beyond the recriminations of Professor McGonagall, but even so, Harry was reluctant to tell her that the twins had actually stolen the map from Filch's filing cabinet. He looked at Hermione for help.

Hermione immediately pulled herself up to her full height and put on her determined face.

"Professor," she said in the authoritative voice Harry and Ron knew so well. "You notice there are two Malfoys in the Slytherin Common Room."

Professor McGonagall's eyes moved to where Hermione was pointing. Her question forgotten.  
She bent over and peered at the map.

"Hmmmm," she said after watching the map for what seemed like an age. "Lucius Malfoy certainly isn't a_ registered_ animagus but that, of course, doesn't mean he isn't one - as we all know." She gave them all a meaningful look over the top of her square spectacles.

"Aren't there tests you can do on the cat?" asked Ron - a little too eagerly, Harry thought.  
Professor McGonagall smiled.

"I think I'd prefer to have a little more proof before going down that path, Mr. Weasley." She looked back down at the map, watching the dots moving around the Slytherin Common Room. Then Harry saw her raise her eyebrows, and he too looked down at the map.

Pansy Parkinson appeared to be carrying Lucius Malfoy. She walked across to the Common Room door and set him outside, where he trotted along on his own until he reached the Potions classroom. Professor Polykett could be seen there and as Lucius Malfoy approached the door, Professor Polykett moved towards it and the two dots met. They stopped together briefly before Lucius moved off in the direction of the main staircase.

"Hmmmm. I think this may call for further investigation," said Professor McGonagall. She watched the map intently for a few moments more, her eyes following Malfoy's dot as it moved further up and across the castle. Harry could see she was doing some rapid thinking.  
"Yes," she said, decisively, and rolled up the map. "I have my suspicions as to where Mr. Malfoy is headed.

"Mr. Potter, please go and fetch Professor Dumbledore and ask him to join me. If my assumptions are correct, I expect you to find me in or near the Hospital Wing - but take this," she handed Harry the rolled up map, "as a precautionary measure."

Harry took the map from her, surprised and grateful to have it back in his possession.  
Professor McGonagall turned to Ron and Hermione.

"Miss Granger; Mr. Weasley; please go and find Hagrid. Inform him that we may be in need of a large cat box."

Harry couldn't imagine Dumbledore ever being lost for words, but he was certainly momentarily stunned when Harry told him that Professor McGonagall had gone in pursuit of what might be Lucius Malfoy disguised as a cat. He stared at Harry, his mouth slightly open, and for a second Harry wondered if Dumbledore had heard him clearly. Then, with a swiftness that made Harry jump, Dumbledore left his chair and went out of the door, saying,

"Come, Harry. She may be in urgent need of help."

Dumbledore moved so fast along the corridors, he seemed to glide along and Harry had to trot to keep up with him.

"Professor McGonagall said to go to the Hospital Wing," panted Harry, knowing there was no chance of checking the map while they were moving at this speed.

"Yes. That would make sense. I only hope we're not too late."

Impossibly, Dumbledore increased his speed. Corridors and staircases went by in a blur. Harry could hardly remember passing through most of them.

Eventually they came to the Hospital Wing and only then did Dumbledore slow down. He approached the double doors to the main ward and pushed them both open.

Harry followed Dumbledore through the doors but had to stop quickly. Dumbledore had gone very still - his left arm held out to warn Harry not to go any further.

Madam Pomfrey was standing to the right of the door. She had one hand at her throat, the other covering her mouth. She was staring towards the centre of the ward at a point hidden from Harry's view by the long sleeve on Dumbledore's robes. She looked very frightened.

To the left Harry could see two patients, both girls, sitting up in bed looking in the same direction and just as scared.

Everything was still. Harry knew something dramatic was happening, even without looking at Madam Pomfrey's face. The very air seemed alive with some kind of electrical charge as if a lightning storm was about to begin.

Slowly, Dumbledore lowered his arm, allowing Harry to see what the others could see.

A pure white cat stood in the middle of the ward. Its back arched, its tail waving violently. Harry could see sharp white teeth as the cat opened its mouth to spit and hiss. High on its hind leg was a large patch of fresh blood.

The injury caused the cat to limp slightly as it circled a second cat - a tabby with distinctive square markings around the eyes.

For every step the white cat took to the right, the tabby took one to the left. Harry could hear very low growling, but whether it came from the tabby or the white or both, he couldn't tell.  
Then the white cat stopped and without warning, sprang at the tabby, giving a piercing shriek as it did.

The tabby reacted with lightning reflexes and met the white cat's attack with a leap of its own and a slashing of claws.

The noise was painful to the ears. A seething mass of fur and claws rolled and spat its way across the ward, skidding through pools of blood, their cries getting louder and higher as they swiped and bit each other.

The white cat did a quick somersault, landed on its feet and instantly lunged at the tabby's head. Harry winced as its teeth closed on the tabby's ear, sending blood flooding over the side of its head and over the white cat's mouth.

With a yowl of pain and fury, the tabby lashed out and caught the white's right eye, slashing across it with its claws. The blow continued down to the pink nose which exploded into a mess of red.

The two cats sprang apart, still growling and spitting at each other. Harry could see part of the tabby's ear swinging from the side of its head as blood continued to flow from the wound. The white cat's right eye was now tightly closed and already puffed up. Most of its fur was now sticky and red.

Undaunted, the white cat once again began squaring up to the tabby. The tabby stood quite still, watching its opponent closely and preparing itself for another attack.

Dumbledore moved swiftly and silently around the room. He patted Madam Pomfrey's arm as he passed her, but never took his eyes off the cats.

When he reached a point in the room that gave him a completely clear path to the centre, he stopped, lifted his wand and pointed it towards the cats.

"Lucius," he said. His voice was steady and calm but rang with such command that Harry flinched. "If you have the power to untransfigure, I recommend you do so immediately."

The white cat stopped in its tracks and backed away a little. Its uninjured eye flickered briefly towards Dumbledore, as if weighing up the situation.

Harry was convinced he was about to see Lucius Malfoy appear where the cat stood.  
Instead, the white cat suddenly crouched low and with an ear-piercing yowl sprang once again at the tabby.

Before anyone knew what was happening, a bright orange flash issued from Dumbledore's wand.

The white cat froze in mid-air surrounded by a dazzling, pulsating orange light. The cat remained suspended for two seconds before falling heavily to the floor.

Harry didn't know whether Lucius Malfoy was unconscious - or dead.

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey rushed forward as Professor McGonagall unfurled.

Dumbledore was just in time to catch her as she staggered sideways, her legs collapsing from underneath her.

Together, he and Madam Pomfrey carried her over to a bed and propped her up with pillows as Madam Pomfrey began inspecting the injured ear.

Harry heard the doors behind him open and turned to see Hermione, Ron and Hagrid enter the ward. They stopped dead at the sight before them. Harry could see their minds racing as they looked from the white cat on the floor to the injured Professor McGonagall.

"Hagrid, your patient is over there," said Dumbledore looking up and nodding towards the white cat. "Please be good enough to inspect his wounds. We need to ensure he is then sent directly back to Azkaban."

Dumbledore's attention returned to Professor McGonagall. He sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand in his. Madam Pomfrey was attempting to clean the injured ear. Harry could see Professor McGonagall's jaw clench in an effort not to cry out with pain. Dumbledore gently placed his other hand over hers, watching her with great concern.

"'e's in a bad way, Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid, inspecting the cat. "The leg'll heal all right, but the eye..." Hagrid shook his head. "Reckon he'll be lucky to keep it. 'E's taken a proper thrashing." Hagrid lifted the cat and placed it gently inside the cat box.

Harry felt a deepening respect for Professor McGonagall and noticed Ron also looking at her, thoroughly impressed.

"Hagrid, would you please ask..." Dumbledore paused. Harry guessed that with his two main supporting teachers now out of action, Dumbledore was casting his mind around for the next suitable candidate. "...Professor Flitwick to send word to the Ministry. Also, someone from St. Mungo's should be in attendance when Mr. Malfoy returns to his natural form."

"Right-o, Professor Dumbledore, sir." Hagrid stepped towards the bed and placed a green collar and bottle on top of the covers. He then took the cat box, and with a thin smile at Harry, Ron and Hermione, left the ward.

Professor McGonagall gave a stifled cry and they turned just in time to see Madam Pomfrey catch a lump of red flesh in a bowl. One of the girls across the ward gave a small scream.

Hermione quickly grabbed a set of screens and pulled them around Professor McGonagall's bed, having the presence of mind to enclose Harry and Ron on the correct side.

"It will take a few days," said Madam Pomfrey. "But I can have your ear looking more or less normal again. I just want to bandage the wound and treat the bites and scratches... er... Headmaster... would you mind...?"

They realised it was time to leave. Dumbledore made to stand, but Professor McGonagall held on to his hand.

"He's not a true animagus, Albus," she said. The words came out laboured, each one costing her a lot of effort. "It's a charm. Only temporary abilities..."

"Minerva, that can wait," said Dumbledore gently. "Your rest is far more important..."

"No. This IS important, Albus. Lucius Malfoy has been administering a potion to Severus. Some kind of poison that's keeping him near death..."

Madam Pomfrey gasped.

"Headmaster, I have never seen that cat before and I would certainly NEVER have let it wander into the ward. I can't see how he would have had the opportunity to go near Professor Snape, let alone poison him."

"And yet," said Dumbledore, picking up the green collar and bottle that Hagrid had placed on the end of the bed. "It might explain why Severus has not been responding to treatment."


	7. Caverna Caeli

Thanks so much for your reviews. They are all very much appreciated. Things are a bit manic here at home at the moment, so forgive me for not responding to you individually this week - shall do better next week. lol.

**CAVERNA CAELI**

"We 'ad to get Malfoy back t'Azkaban before the charm wore off," said Hagrid. "Can you imagine 'im transformin' back into a human while 'e was still in that cat box?"

Ron sniggered and Harry had to admit the vision was quite funny.

They were sitting in Hagrid's hut having tea, hoping to hear more information about what was going on. Professor Dumbledore had been in meetings with the Ministry all day.

"What about Professor McGonagall, though, eh?" said Ron, still awestruck.

"Yep. She's got some spirit, I'll say that for her," said Hagrid. "Imagine someone of 'er age bein' able to stand up to the likes of Lucius Malfoy, let alone do 'im that much damage. Grand lady..."

"But how did Malfoy escape from Azkaban?" asked Hermione.

"Ah well, particularly nasty story, that." said Hagrid taking a sip of tea. "You remember those Muggles that 'ave disappeared from their hospitals?"

Harry nodded. He remembered seeing the billboards across the road from the Leaky Cauldron.

"Turns out you-know-who's behind it all. Been getting these sick Muggles and exchanging them for the Death Eaters in Azkaban."

"But how do they get past the guards?" asked Ron.

"Well, you know the Dementors 'ave gone. Fudge has put security trolls on guard. My guess is that Wormtail or someone turned up at the prison with a sick Muggle and left with a Death Eater. Trolls are none too bright, you know. As long as they've got a prisoner, they're happy."

"Draco said his father would be out in no time," said Harry, remembering the end of last term.

"Yeah, well, 'es back inside now and by the looks of 'im, 'es going to be feeling pretty sick for quite a while."

"What about Snape?" said Harry.

Hagrid shook his head.

"All I know is Madam Pomfrey's been going frantic - said there was a danger they would lose 'im if they didn't get 'im to St. Mungo's, but Professor Dumbledore insisted 'e wasn't to be removed from the school."

"But why on earth not, if he's in danger of dying..?" said Hermione.

"Dunno. Dumbledore must have 'is reasons. But in all the years Professor Snape's been at Hogwarts, I've only ever known 'im to be sick once before, and that was when 'e first arrived. 'E was in a similar state then, I remember."

* * *

Harry sat down opposite Hermione by the fire in the Gryfindor Common Room. She looked up from her book,

"Where's Ron?"

Harry shrugged. "He muttered something about going to see someone. I think he's running an errand for Fred and George."

Harry opened his book and began reading up on Animagi Charms. He didn't notice Lavender and Parvati enter through the portrait hole, but looked up when they pulled a couple of chairs up close to him and sat down. Hermione looked up as well.

"Hi," said Harry, surprised. It wasn't usual for Lavender and Parvati to join them.

"We thought we should warn you both," said Parvati in a low voice, looking from Harry to Hermione.

"And Ron," added Lavender.

"We've just overheard Pansy Parkinson talking in the girls' toilets," said Parvati.

"From what we could make out," said Lavender. "She reckons you've done something to her cat and Draco's on the warpath. She says he's really mad. It's got something to do with his dad as well. We didn't hear it all."

"But we thought we'd better warn you. She sounded really mad," said Parvati.

"Thanks Lavender; Parvati," said Harry. "We'll keep a look out."

"What _have_ you done to Pansy's cat?" asked Parvati.

Harry looked at Hermione and wondered how to answer, but before he could, the portrait hole swung open.

With a loud cry, Ron fell through it and lay sprawled on the floor, laughing.

Harry and Hermione jumped out of their chairs and rushed over, joined by quite a few other Gryffindors. Neville appeared at the entrance as they were lifting Ron up and helping him to a seat.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't hold him any longer," he puffed. "He was staggering all over the place."

"What happened?" asked Harry.

Ron looked up at him.

"'lo, Harry." Ron got unsteadily to his feet and put his arm around Neville, leaning on him heavily. "You see Neville here?" He patted Neville on the chest. "He's my bestest mate, he is. You're a good bloke, Neville. A REALLY good bloke. Have I ever told you that before?"  
Ron's words were coming out slurred and he had a stupid grin on his face.

"I don't know what happened," said Neville, looking extremely uncomfortable as Ron grinned at him from about three inches away. "I found him hanging onto the leg of a suit of armour and singing."

("He's my bestest mate, that suit of armour..")

"You know what?" said Dean Thomas, coming to the front of the crowd. "I think he's been drinking!"

"Drinking?" said Hermione, shocked. "How could he? Where would he get it...?"

"Hellooooh, Herrrmioneeeee," said Ron, grinning wider.

Hermione leaned in towards Ron and sniffed.

"He doesn't smell of alcohol," she said.

Ron released Neville from the bear-hug and flopped both arms around Hermione's neck.

"Herrrmionneeeeee!" he said, and slipped so that Hermione had to put her arms around his waist to stop him collapsing on the floor. He looked down into her eyes. "D'you know what? I love you! Ever since our first year on the train when you found my (hic) smudged nose. Will you be my girl(hic)friend?"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" huffed Hermione and tried to thrust Ron towards Harry as the room filled with laughter.

"RON!" shouted Harry to get his attention and peeling Ron from Hermione, thrust him down into the chair. "What happened?"

Ron grinned up at Harry. "Well _you_ should know, you were (hic) there! She found my smudge, the little_ witch_...!" he lunged at Hermione again and almost fell off the chair.

"No. Concentrate, Ron. What happened tonight? Who did you see?"

"Professor Magonnn(hic)agallll. Fantastic woman! Just like Herrrmionneeee! Went to see her, to wish her well. Whatawoman!"

Harry shook Ron.

"Then who did you see? I mean, afterwards?"

"PansybloodyParkinson. SHE HEXED ME!" Ron shouted indignantly and tried to get to the portrait hole. "SHE HEXED ME, HARRY!"

"Should we take him back to the Hospital Wing?" said Hermione.

"No," replied Dean. "Believe me, if it's anything like the real thing, he's best sleeping it off."

Harry, Dean, Seamus and Neville got hold of a limb each and carried Ron towards the stairs and up to the dormitory.

"Herrrmionneeeeee, Hermioneeeeee!" sang Ron, using any musical note that entered his head.

* * *

Harry couldn't sleep. The pain in his head, a permanent fixture now, had given a sudden flare which woke him and now he just lay in the darkness of his four-poster bed thinking about the events of the last thirty-six hours. Lucius Malfoy had managed to escape from Azkaban. How many other Death Eaters were on the loose?

Realising that sleep was nowhere in sight, Harry got out of bed and wandered to the window. It was a patchy night. The moon was out, but there were plenty of clouds to cover it for minutes at a time.

A movement caught his attention.

Moving along in the shadow of the castle walls was a figure. It remained in the shadows, but didn't seem to be moving furtively, but rather smoothly and purposefully.

Harry watched for a moment. Whoever it was down there wasn't dressed for the chill of the night. And then suddenly Harry realised who it was.

Colin Creevy.

Harry stepped behind the curtains of Ron's bed. Ron was sleeping in exactly the same position as they had dumped him hours earlier. His breathing was very heavy.

"Ron. Ron, wake up." Harry shook him, but quickly realised that Ron was out for the night and probably wouldn't be in any fit state to go with Harry even if he could wake him.  
Moving quickly, Harry got dressed and went downstairs.

Hermione was sitting, still dressed, beside the dying embers of the fire, reading. She looked up, startled, as Harry entered the Common Room.

"Hermione!"

"Harry! You scared me!"

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at the book on her lap.

"Well, I had some Ancient Runes homework to finish and then I thought I'd try and work out the hex Pansy hit Ron with. I think Dean was right; she's used a Firewhisky hex."

"And..."

"Well, that's why he was behaving as if he'd spent all evening drinking in the Hog's Head. He couldn't walk straight, he was talking rubbish. I mean, all that nonsense about Neville...

"...and being in love with me..." she blushed and looked sideways at Harry.

Harry didn't know quite how to respond. He had worked out a long time ago that Ron fancied Hermione but that he was too unsure of himself to do anything about it. But would Ron thank him for putting Hermione straight? He felt that Hermione was fishing for an answer, though.

"Erm. Hermione? I'm sure Ron's going to be really embarrassed about everything in the morning."

"Oh. Well...yes...I mean...I didn't take it _seriously,"_ she gave an unconvincing laugh and looked everywhere except at Harry.

"Hermione," said Harry, taking a deep breath and hoping he wasn't doing the wrong thing. "Ron_ does_ like you, but he doesn't think you're interested. He thinks he can't compete with Krum."

"Victor? Oh, well, Victor's very nice and everything, but..."

"I think Ron needs some encouragement. Do you think I'd ever have plucked up the courage to kiss Cho? Well, I mean, _eventually_ I might have, I suppose, but Cho made the first move..."

"Oh!" said Hermione. "So you think I should...?"

"Well, maybe not tomorrow!" said Harry, with a grin.

"No," laughed Hermione. "According to this book, he's going to have such a headache."

"Tell me about it," said Harry, rubbing his scar.

"Is it hurting more?" asked Hermione, concerned.

"Yeah. It woke me up. I...oh, no! I forgot! Colin! Colin Creevy's outside in the grounds. I was going out to..."

"The Siren!" cried Hermione. "Come on, we'd better go."

They both ran to the portrait hole.

They both breathed sharply as the chill air hit them as they went out of the main door.

Colin was nowhere in sight.

"You don't think he's already been found and been taken back inside, do you?" said Harry.

Hermione shook her head.

"It's possible, I suppose, but we didn't see or hear anyone on the way out, did we?"

Harry looked around. The grounds were deserted.

"How far could he have gone?" he said. "We've got a good view of the lake, and he's not there."

"He must be round the other side," said Hermione. "Come on." She took off at a sprint.

"But the lake's enormous," cried Harry, running after her. "Which side?" but Hermione was already out of ear-shot.

After a while, their running had turned to steady jogging. They had now lost sight of the lower half of the school behind the rocky island that had appeared in the centre of the lake during the summer holidays.

"Hermione..." gasped Harry. He was out of breath and the cold air had made his teeth hurt. "What...is...that...pile of rocks in the middle of the lake, anyhow?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione said over her shoulder. "It's where Professor Flight goes at night." Hermione stopped to get her breath back. "It's mentioned in 'Hogwarts - A History'. I looked it up that first night, when I saw it out of the carriage window. It's known as 'Caverna Caeli' - The Vault of Heaven. It's usually below the waterline, but can be summond when needed."

Harry shook his head.

"Hermione, how do you remember all this stuff?"

"I just do..." her voice trailed away as she stared at something in the distance. "Harry. Do...do you see what I see?"

Harry followed her gaze and felt a mixture of shock and confusion well up in him.

Colin, still dressed in pyjamas, was moving steadily towards the rocks in the centre of the lake.  
He appeared to be walking on top of the water.

They ran to the very edge of the lake.

"How is he doing it?" said Hermione as they watched Colin walking towards the centre of the  
lake.

"I was hoping _you_ knew," said Harry.

"He's forgotten to put his Sirenity Drops in. He can hear the Siren. He's following her voice."

They looked at each other. There was only one thing to do.

"Lumos," said Hermione and her wand shone a beam of light which she directed into the water by their feet. There was nothing but water and weed. She began walking along the edge of the  
lake, all the time shining the light into the water.

"What are we looking for?" asked Harry.

"This," she said, and pointed to where the beam of light shone.

A brick pathway lay just underneath the surface of the water.

"It's a causeway!" she exclaimed. Then seeing Harry's puzzled look, "a pathway, usually across water, that's only visible at certain times. Come on!"

Hermione set off along the causeway, Harry close behind. Their feet splashed through the  
few inches of water that still covered the brick path and which soon soaked through their shoes.

"Er, Hermione. How long do you think the causeway stays uncovered?"

"I don't know," she shouted back over her shoulder.

Harry wasn't comforted by this news. Spending the night on a rock, cut off from the mainland or having to swim back, wasn't his idea of fun.

It was hard work running through the water, even only inches deep, and Colin had already  
reached the rocks in the middle of the lake before Harry and Hermione were half way there.  
Then Hermione slowed and they both saw Colin turn sideways and disappear through an opening.

They sprinted the rest of the way and reached the rocks a short while later. There was a gap in the rocks, so narrow that at a distance, it might be mistaken for a thick string of weed.

Without hesitation, Hermione slipped through the gap and Harry followed. Even though he breathed in to make himself smaller, he felt the rock scratch across his back as he squeezed  
through.

Hermione's wand still shone. Inside the rock they found themselves in a long corridor with  
sand on the floor and trickles of water on the walls. The corridor sloped down and away from  
the entrance for quite some distance, certainly beyond the reach of the light from Hermione's  
wand.

Cautiously but as fast as they dared, they made their way towards the dark end of the corridor,  
the light not making contact with anything for several moments, until...

The slight, pyjama-clad form of Colin Creevy stood facing the weeds which formed the dead-  
end of the corridor. He didn't seem to hear them approaching and seemed oblivious to the pool of light now surrounding him.

He was humming. It was a nonsense sort of tune with no real structure. Harry glanced at  
Hermione, but she just shrugged and gave her head a slight shake to let Harry know that _she_  
didn't understand what was going on either.

They turned back to Colin. At first, Harry thought Colin was moving the weeds for some reason, and then he realised that the weeds were actually parting.

As soon as the opening was big enough, Colin squeezed through and disappeared from sight.

Without saying anything, Harry and Hermione ran forwards. Hermione squeezed her way through the weeds. Harry followed, but felt the weeds closing on him before he was all the way through. It wasn't unlike his experience with Devil's Snare and soon he felt the breath being pressed from his body. Throwing all his weight behind him, he managed to fall forwards and bring most of his body through to the other side, but his right foot remained tangled in the weeds.

Realising he was in difficulty, Hermione began pulling at the weeds surrounding his foot. Together they ripped and tore until, with supreme effort they managed to drag his foot away before the last part of the gap closed completely.

Breathing heavily, Harry stood up.

They were in a cave which was about the same size as Professor McGonagall's classroom. The ceiling was twice as high as Hagrid and covered with stalactites that shone wetly in the light which still came from Hermione's wand. The walls appeared to be covered by a thick, slimy weed and the whole place smelled of low-tide.

Colin, once again, was standing at the far end of the cave but this time, he was staring at them both, bewildered. On each side of his head, long grey furry ears stood up. He looked ridiculous.

"Er, Colin?" said Hermione, softly.

"It's stopped," he said in a surprised voice. "Who turned the singing off?" He looked like someone who'd just woken from a very deep sleep.

"Colin do you know where you are?" asked Hermione.

"No," he said, staring around the cave with an anxious look on his face. "I just heard this beautiful singing and had to find out where it was coming from." He shivered. "Bit cold in here. Are we in the dungeons?"

"No. We're in a cave in the middle of the lake," said Harry. "We followed you here. Someone swopped your ear drops around again."

Colin's hands flew to his ears and he groaned.

"It really burns when Madam Pomfrey turns them back again," he whined. "And everyone's laughing at me because this keeps happening. I feel a right idiot."

"You're not the idiot," said Hermione. "It's the stupid person who keeps swopping your drops. It's a good job we followed you, or you would be here on your own."

"And now we've got to find our way out," Harry reminded them. "And the gap in the wall has closed."

"Colin, do you remember the little tune you were humming when the entrance to the cave opened?" asked Hermione. Colin looked blank. "Right. Thought not. Ok, we'll have to try and open the gap another way - the most obvious first." She raised her wand and pointed it at the wall behind them, but Harry stopped her.

"Let me do it. We don't want to lose the light from your wand."

Harry pointed his wand to where the gap had been, and said,

"_Alohomora!"_

Immediately, the cave began to shake and a rumble could be heard somewhere overhead. They all ducked as stalagtites, rock and weed came falling from the ceiling. They had to hold on to the wall to steady themselves as the ground wobbled and shook.

The cave remained sealed.

"Somehow I don't think spells are going to work," Hermione shouted to Harry above the noise. "There has to be another way. Colin, help us look. There might be a clue anywhere."

They propped Hermione's wand in the middle of the cave so they could all work by its light.  
The noise died down and the trembling disappeared as they searched the cave. Colin walked around the floor with his head bowed, looking for clues. Harry and Hermione pulled back handfuls of the black weed from the wall, working methodically from the place they had come in.

Then Hermione squealed.

"Over here!"

She grabbed her wand and pointed it towards the wall. The light fell on letters carved into the surface. It seemed that at some point someone had tried to erase the letters by scoring heavy lines across the writing, but they were still mostly visible. Hermione brushed some of the mould away.

"Why's the writing all back to front?" said Colin, peering at the letters.

"It isn't," said Hermione slowly. "I think...they're some kind of runes. They could be Warlock or Goblin but...OH!" She stamped her foot in frustration. "What are we going to do? I'm sure this tells us how to get out, but it's not something I've learned in Ancient Runes yet."

Hearing Hermione's words, Harry's head snapped up. He'd just remembered something.

"Er, Hermione?" He knew it was a long shot, but he had to ask. "You haven't...by any chance...got the Scribe's Crystal on you, have you?"

"No, I..." then she looked wide-eyed at Harry and thrust her hand inside the pocket of her robes. When it reappeared, the fingers were curled around one of the silver handles of the Crystal. "I put it in my pocket tonight after homework. I..."

"Come on!" yelled Harry, feeling a very rare surge of gratitude to Aunt Petunia.

Harry and Colin held the weeds away as Hermione peered at the letters through the Crystal and read...

"_Whoever you are,  
Whoever you be,  
You look for...  
_(hang on, there's a thick bit of mould over the next bit...)  
_Goblin gold, I see.  
Press the sickle, prepare your eyes,  
But do not touch if you are wise.  
All that glistens is not gold  
And you may think you very bold  
But exit quickly, do not take,  
As that would be your big mistake.  
Heed our words and walk on by.  
Or by Goblin hand  
You'll die." _

"Goblin gold? That's not what we want! We want to get out of here! I don't want Goblins to kill me."

Colin had flipped. He had a wild, panicky look in his eyes. Without warning, his hand shot forwards and snatched Harry's wand from his grasp.

"_Alohomora!"_ he screamed, pointing the wand at the wall.

There was more rumbling, louder this time. The whole cave began to shake. It caught Hermione off guard and she lost her balance, tumbling backwards and landing heavily on the ground. Harry was just about to wrestle his wand back from Colin when...

"Oh, Harry, LOOK!" Hermione, still on her back, was pointing her wand towards the ceiling.

Where the light shone, they could see that water had begun seeping in through cracks caused by this latest tremble. The water was now running down the walls and quickly making large puddles on the floor.

"We must be under the water level," yelled Harry. "We have to get out, fast!"

"Look for the sickle," ordered Hermione, struggling to her feet and frantically pulling weed away from the walls.

"I don't want to see the gold! It's cursed. I want to get OUT!" screamed Colin, and raised Harry's wand again.

Harry lunged at Colin before he could do any more damage. They both crashed to the ground. There was a frantic struggle. Harry was surprised how strong Colin was, considering he was a lot smaller than Harry.

Colin knocked Harry's hand away onto a jagged piece of rock, which grazed his knuckles. The wand danced around in front of them as Colin tried to keep it out of Harry's reach. Harry also had to keep his hand over Colin's mouth as, every time he let go, Colin would try and shout "Alohomora!" Again.

"Colin, pull yourself together," shouted Harry. "We're not after the gold, we're just looking for a way out." Colin continued to writhe around keeping the wand away from Harry. "You're a Gryffindor, remember? Gryffindors are supposed to be brave," Harry said, desperately.

"Yeah? Well I'd rather be brave some other time!"

Harry managed to catch hold of the other end of his wand. Half standing, he pulled Colin up after him. Still struggling, Colin clung on to the wand until Harry was worried his wand might snap in half. Harry slackened his grip, but then with a mighty effort, suddenly pulled the wand with all his strength.

Colin's hands lost their grip. Both he and Harry fell backwards with the force of parting. Harry managed to steady himself with a few weird dancing steps, but Colin went tumbling into the wall behind him. As he tried to keep his balance, his arms flayling around, his head disappeared behind a curtain of thick weed.

Harry stood mesmerised for a few shocking moments as a slow replay of Sirius' last battle with Bellatrix played before his eyes. He could see Sirius falling back through the veil, lost forever.

With a cry that hurt his throat, Harry lunged forwards and grabbed Sirius/Colin, heaving his head back through the weed.

Reality was put on hold. In Harry's mind, he'd saved him! He'd saved Sirius from falling through the arch. With another cry, this time of relief, Harry threw his arms around Sirius/Colin and hugged him like he'd never hugged anyone before. He'd got Sirius back!

"H...Harry?" said Colin, quite calmly, but puzzled.

Slowly, Harry released his bear-hug on Colin and looked at him. He shook his head, trying to get his mind back to the present.

He'd got Colin. He'd got Colin.

While Harry's mind was still spinning, Colin said,

"Hermione. That thing you're looking for. I think it's behind here."

Hermione was there in an instant, scrabbling at the weeds.

The water in the cave was now ankle deep and rising fast. Frantically, Hermione raked at the wall with her fingers, removing the slime and mould. Harry could see the gunk collecting underneath her fingernails, and thin lines of green liquid running through her fingers.

She gave a sudden yelp, whipped her hands away from the wall as though she'd been stung and took a quick step back.

"Something burned me!"

Using the tip of his wand, Harry gingerly parted the weed that hung over the place Hermione had been working on.

He and Colin leaned forward to see...

and recoiled.

A flat stone, about the size of a man's hand, seemed to have been stuck onto the cave wall. On it was a carving, standing proud of the stone. It was not a sickle as they had expected from the poem, but a black scull with a snake protruding from its mouth.

A flood of horror filled Harry's veins. Of all the dangers he might have expected while rescuing Colin from the cave, this wasn't one of them.

The implications were enormous.

This was a cave under the lake at Hogwarts. They were supposed to be safe inside the school grounds and yet, here was Voldemort's mark.

Harry was almost certain the Dark Mark hadn't existed before Tom Riddle had become Voldemort, so Riddle hadn't placed it here fifty years ago.

Was this a trap? Was Voldemort using Colin as he had used Ginny? Was it really Professor Flight's singing that had lured Colin here, or something darker?

Harry felt sick.

Hermione had gone very white.

Colin said, "I don't know what that is, but I don't like it."

"It's the Dark Mark. It's Vold..." Hermione glanced at Harry then back at Colin. "...You-know-who's sign."

They stood in shocked silence, just staring at the scull. None of them noticed the water level had now reached their knees.

A loud 'crack' brought them back to their immediate danger. All three heads turned towards the ceiling. The roof of the cave had split in a long thin line. Water began pouring in.

"We have to get out!" cried Colin, unnecessarily.

"THIS," said Harry, gesturing towards the scull. "is the way out, but..."

A sudden shower of rock and water made them duck, shielding their heads with their arms. Lumps of the roof splashed into the water all around them.

"This is madness!" yelled Hermione. "We're going to drown unless we do something..."

Even before Harry had uncovered his head, he knew with a thrill of horror what was about to happen.

Snapping his head up, he was just in time to see Hermione throw herself forward and raise the palm of her hand to the Dark Mark.

"HERMIONE! NOOOOOOOO...!"


	8. Further In

Thanks so much for reviewing. You know, the 'hit' count is a great comfort. This story has now had over three hundred hits! Who'd have guessed?

Quite a long chapter this one, but the break happened naturally. Hope you like it. One of my favourite scenes is in this chapter.

**Chapter Eight**

**FURTHER IN**

Hermione screamed a scream that filled the cave and rebounded from wall to wall. Her hand was stuck to the skull. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Colin snatched the wand from her left hand as she struggled to free her right.

"Throw water over her hand!" he yelled at Harry.

Harry did what he was told. Smoke hissed out from the edges of Hermione's hand and with a sudden jolt, she pulled her hand away and plunged it into the water surrounding them.

She was trying to be brave, but Harry could see she was near to hysterics. Her face was streaked with horrible green tears and she was sobbing heavily - her body shuddering with each sob.

Harry waded towards her and put his arms around her. It was the only thing he could think of doing. He hardly noticed the rusty, grating sound of wheels moving. Wheels that obviously hadn't had to work for a very long time.

"The wall! It's opening!"

Colin's voice broke into Harry's conscious and he looked up over Hermione's head.

The wall had split in a jagged line, running diagonally across the wall.

It meant they would be going onwards instead of back the way they came, but it was their only option.

Slowly, slowly the wall parted and the gap widened. Some of the water escaped through the gap and Harry was able to see a ledge they would have to climb over to get through.

Hermione clutched her injured hand to her body.

"Do you think you can climb over?" Harry asked her, gently.

She nodded, unable to speak.

Colin went through first with Hermione's wand, plunging Harry and Hermione into darkness on their side of the wall.

Between them, they helped Hermione through the gap and then Harry followed last.

Yet another cave - bigger than the last, but no stalactites, weed or smell. The only water came from the cave they had just left. It splashed in small puddles through the gap.

The whole place looked as if it had been polished. The walls almost sparkled.

"It's empty," said Colin, holding Hermione's wand high. "Someone's taken the gold already."  
Another grating sound and the gap in the wall behind them closed, cutting off the water.

Immediately, flames flared up from torches positioned all around the walls, lighting the cave more than Hermione's wand was able.

"Who turned the lights on!" laughed Colin.

But Harry didn't laugh. Instead he raised his wand and scanned the cave.

His scar burned on his forehead.

He looked around but all was still. The cave was completely empty apart from themselves, and there was nowhere for anyone to be hiding. But Harry felt uneasy.

Hermione was silently nursing her hand.

Colin stared around.

"I thought this was the way out," he said.

"Shhhhhh!" said Harry, quietly.

Hermione lifted her head, instantly alerted by Harry's voice.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure," said Harry, slowly.

His eyes and ears were open to anything, anything at all. There was nothing to see or hear, but still there was a feeling of impending danger.

"Look!" shouted Colin, making Harry jump. "Steps. Can you see? Hidden in the wall..."

Harry reluctantly looked away from the rest of the cave to the right-hand wall where Colin pointed. He wondered if Colin was going mad - there were no steps.

"Yes, I see them," said Hermione.

Harry looked at Hermione, questioningly.

"They're camouflaged," she explained, her voice still filled with pain. "It's like those...Magic Eye pictures in Muggle books. Mum and Dad had one. You have to...look at the picture in a certain way to see the hidden bit."

Harry looked back at the wall. He remembered Dudley had a Magic-Eye book. Harry hadn't been able to see the hidden pictures. He'd have to take Hermione and Colin's word that the steps were there.

Colin began to trot towards the wall.

"Colin!"

Colin stopped and looked back at them.

"Hermione, are you able to use your wand?" Harry asked.

"Of course."

"Colin, give Hermione her wand and come and stand behind us."

"What? Why?"

"Just _do it!"_

For a moment it looked as if Colin would resist. Then he came back and did as instructed.  
"What's up?" he asked, his voice now tinged with nerves.

"It could be nothing," said Harry. "But just in case, we'll make for the steps together, OK?"

They walked sideways, slowly, wands held ready. Harry's eyes flitting in all directions, alert to the smallest sign.

When they reached the wall, Harry at last could see the steps. There were many, many of them, carved from the rock, going diagonally up the side of the cave into the darkness of the corner above.

"Hermione, you go first," whispered Harry. "Keep an eye on the steps ahead. Colin you next. I'll cover our backs."

They began to move. Hermione and Colin facing up the steps, Harry walking backwards and scouring the rest of the cave.

The back of his foot touched the first step. Slowly he raised it, ready to step up.

A gigantic fierce flame suddenly erupted with a roar at the opposite side of the cave. Its force blew the torches on the walls so that the nearest ones to it went out and the ones nearest Harry flickered dangerously, but stayed alight.

Harry heard Colin gasp and slip on the step.

The flame glowed green and yellow and as it flared, filling the cave with a sulphurous smell, a voice echoed around the walls,

"It's way past your beddy-byes time, little Harry..."

The flame began to reduce in height and as it did so, Bellatrix Lestrange appeared. The green and yellow flames danced around her feet for a moment before dying completely.

She was dressed in a floor-length black robe, clinched at the waist by a long silver belt. The two ends hung down from the waist, almost reaching the hem of the garment. On the end of each was a silver snake's head.

Her face was gaunt and framed by her long black hair which hung loosely around her shoulders. She held her wand out in front of her.

"Don't even _think_ about it, Harry," she said, as Harry pointed his own wand at her. "It was pure luck that saved you last time. There's nowhere for you to hide in here."

"Then there's nowhere for you to hide, either, is there?" Harry snapped back, shaking with hatred.

He had run through this moment in his head hundres of times. What he would do when he came face to face with the woman who had killed Sirius. All the hatred and loathing that had been swirling around inside him since last summer now exploded in his head. He was sure he could now perform the Cruciatus curse and mean it.

"_Accio wands_!"

Colin ducked, obviously expecting the ceiling to start caving in again. It didn't.  
Harry and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands. Bellatrix caught them easily with one hand. She laughed a short sharp laugh.

"Children, mere children. Now GET OVER THERE!" She gestured with the wands to the place where they had entered the cave. Harry was tempted to resist, but he wasn't in a position to fight. Slowly they did as they were told.

Still grinning horribly, she came and stood in front of them.

"So! Did you think you would find the Goblin gold single-handed? Something that even your senile friend Dumbledore couldn't do even though it's been right under his crooked nose all these years."

"Dumbledore doesn't care about Goblin gold," said Harry.

"Oh, you're wrong, Harry. Very wrong. You see, whoever retrieves the Goblin's gold for them, gains their support. I imagine Dumbledore needs all the help he can get in his futile plans to fight the Dark Lord." She gave an almost human laugh. "I wish I could be there to see his face when he realises the key to its whereabouts has been at the Castle all these years."

"Well you're out of luck, aren't you, because the gold isn't here." said Harry.

"You are so naive, little Harry. You think the gold isn't here just because you can't see it? You must have heard of a Secret Keeper, Harry. In fact, you were quite close to one in particular, I remember - my dear departed cousin - until my wand slipped and I killed him."

Harry swallowed the bile that had filled his mouth. He felt he could kill Bellatrix without any remorse.

"We're not after the gold. It's cursed," said Colin. "Harry was rescuing me from the Siren."

"How touching. But all you needed to do was wait a little while. I got rid of her for you. She was making far too much noise." Bellatrix looked Colin up and down and sniggered horribly "Really Harry, is this the best you could do? A crippled girl and a donkey boy? I almost feel guilty about killing them, they're so pathetic." She turned to face Harry again. "You, of course, I shall save for the Master. I know he wants the pleasure of killing you himself."

"Oh, he's coming here, is he?" said Harry, sarcastically. "That's good. I'll get my wand back. At least Voldemort was never afraid of afight."

"Do not speak his name with your filthy half-blood tongue," she hissed. "You think the Dark Lord would soil his hands by coming here when he has a loyal servant such as I to do his bidding? Now stand aside while I deal with your little friends."

Harry of course, would have protected Colin and Hermione anyway, but it was hearing the words 'stand aside' that made him even more defiant. They were the words Voldemort had said to Harry's mother. The last words she had ever heard...

He stepped in front of the other two.

"You'll have to kill me first," he said. "Then you're 'Master' won't be very pleased with you, will he?"

"He said I mustn't kill you," she said, her eyes glittering. "He said nothing about causing you pain. _Rictusempra!"_

The pain in Harry's stomach sent him doubling over, breathlessly.

"That was just a warm-up. We shall proceed through the pain levels, just for my own amusement, until we get to the Cruciatus curse."

Colin helped Harry to his feet. Bellatrix raised her wand ready to strike again.

The flames on the walls guttered as though hit by a sudden draught. It caught Bellatrix's attention. She turned her head to look and in that second Harry launched himself at her, knocking her to the floor. In the mad scramble which followed, she dropped the wands and Colin ran forward and grabbed them.

Harry and Bellatrix fought with their bare hands. Her fingernails aimed at his eyes. Harry had one hand fending her off and the other around her throat. He could see Colin and Hermione pointing their wands towards them, but he knew they couldn't do anything with him in the way.

He was just thinking of leaping up out of the way, giving Hermione and Colin a clear target, when suddenly Bellatrix bent her knees, got her feet in Harry's stomach and gave a mighty kick.

Harry went flying back into Hermione and Colin, sending them staggering backwards.  
They rallied and all three swung round to attack, but stopped in their tracks.

Bellatrix was standing, pulling her robes straight and wiping her face on her sleeve. She seemed no longer concerned with them. She was staring fixedly towards the top right hand corner of the cave - the corner where the stone steps ended in darkness.

Her eyes danced with surprise and delight.

"_MASTER!"_ she cried.

Harry stood rooted to the spot. He felt Colin and Hermione move in closer behind him. One of them was breathing rapidly. He thought it was Hermione.

Harry stared up into the darkness at the top of the steps where something moved in the shadows. Straining his eyes, Harry saw the something begin descending the steps slowly.  
No one on the ground moved. Harry could feel his pulse pounding hard in his neck.

After what seemed like an age, the figure reached the very edge of the light radiating from the torches on the walls. It was draped in a black cloak. The hood was up and fell a long way forward, hiding the face from view.

Harry heard a little whimper from Colin and then something tapped his arm. Moving nothing but his eyes, he gave a quick glance downwards and saw the tip of his wand resting in the crook of his elbow. Hardly daring to move, Harry took the wand slowly, locking his eyes back to the menacing figure still descending the stairs.

"Master, I have the Potter boy for you," said Bellatrix, her voice raised to carry up the stairs.  
Bellatrix, in her eagerness to greet her master, was now standing forward of Harry so didn't see when Harry also took a step forward and raised his wand.

The figure got closer. Harry was reminded of the terrifying sight of Voldemort in the graveyard the night Cedric was murdered. Newly reformed, he had been robed in black then, also; and his red slit eyes had glared out at Harry from under the hood.

Harry swallowed hard and gripped his wand tighter, determined that Voldemort would not see how much he was trembling. He was fully aware that this could be the moment when the prophecy was fulfilled. It was possible that when this night was through he, Harry, would either be a murderer - or dead.

"Put your wand away, Potter," said the cold, almost bored voice from under the hood. "I could disarm you before the words had formed in your mouth."

Bellatrix gave a distraught cry and at the same time Hermione gasped,

"Professor Snape!"

Harry's jaw dropped.

Although coming face to face with Snape was infinitely preferable to having Voldemort standing in front of him, Harry didn't relax.

Twenty-four hours ago, Snape had been at death's door. Now here he was in a cave in the middle of the lake.

Was this _really _Snape?

And if so, who's side was he on?

Harry's mind went into overdrive with all the possibilities.

He looked over at Bellatrix, hoping her reaction to this appearance would help him judge the situation.

"Severus Snape!" she said with a shrill laugh.

Snape had now reached the bottom of the steps and turned to face them. He lowered the hood on the cloak and gave a curt smile.

"Bella," he nodded a greeting to her.

Harry's heart sank.

'Bella'. Snape had actually called her 'Bella'. That couldn't be a good sign.

"I thought you were dead," she answered.

"My apologies for disappointing you. Our mutual acquaintance seems to have fallen short of the task."

"Lucius Malfoy is one of the Master's most faithful servants," she said, lifting her chin defiantly. "Unlike _some_ who fail to answer the Master's call. Tell me, Severus, does his Mark still burn on your arm?"

"It is not possible to apparate or disapparate inside the school," he answered calmly. "As no doubt you discovered when you first tried to enter this cave. As for the Mark on my arm," his eyes glittered as he stared at her intently. "I think we both know why it is there."

Harry was liking this less and less. The conversation seemed to swing between accusations and friendly chat.

Bellatrix and Snape continued to stare at each other. Harry looked from one to the other, gripped his wand tighter and prepared himself for the worst.

"I killed him," she said, breaking the heavy silence. "I killed Black."

"Congratulations. Then you did us both a favour..."

The attack came instantaneously...

Bellatrix had barely lifted her wand before she was sent spiralling backwards through the air by Snape's spell. She landed in an ungainly heap on the ground.

Snape had reacted so fast, his wand seemed to have appeared from nowhere. In spite of himself, Harry had to admit he was impressed.

Quickly he, Hermione and Colin flattened themselves against the wall ready for a counterattack.

"Should we be doing something?" whispered Harry.

"No," Hermione whispered back. "I get the feeling this is personal."

Snape stood on the steps as calmly as if nothing had happened. Bellatrix got up from the ground and snarled through the strands of hair that now hung across her face.

"Still jealous of him, Severus, even now he's dead?"

Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What's the matter Sev?" she said, taunting him. "Frightened these children will learn your secrets?" She hooked her hair with her finger and dragged it from her face. "Still hurts, does it? That I chose him over you?"

"You have a very high opinion of yourself, Bella." Snape sneered. "Do you imagine I bother myself with such childish anxieties from the past?"

Bellatrix gave a snort.

"But since you raised the subject," Snape continued. "I should inform you that my interest in you was merely due to your connections with the dark side. I also seem to recall," (Harry saw the malicious glint in Snape's eyes that he knew so well) "that Black was rather more fond of a certain Muggle woman than of you."

Bellatrix gave a hideous banshee wail as she raised her wand high ready to strike, but once again Snape was too quick and sent her flying backwards.

"He tried to _kill_ you," she screeched. "That's how much Black liked me. When he found out I was seeing you, he tried to kill you by taking you to the werewolf." She got to her feet clumsily and staggered towards him. "Were you _really_ in danger that night, Severus? _Can_ your sort be killed by werewolves...?"

"Enough!" Snape advanced on her, his wand pointing at her head, his face full of fury. "You wish to reminisce over your adolescence, then let me help you. It may provide a few answers of my own...

"_Legilimens!"_

Bellatrix gasped and staggered backwards.

Harry could see Snape squinting at her as though peering through a letter box. So this was  
how it looked when Snape was teaching him Occlumency.

Bellatrix buried her hands in her hair.

"NO!" she cried and straightened up. She had obviously managed to block the spell.

"What an enchanting little girl you were," said Snape sarcastically.

"I'm warning you, Severus..."

"And it would appear that your dear cousin, in fact, wanted nothing to do with you. He lured me to the werewolf for his own sadistic pleasure and not because of you."

Bellatrix barred her teeth like an angry tiger. She raised her wand and this time managed to  
get a sound out of her mouth before...

"_Legilimens!"_

Again Bellatrix staggered. It looked to Harry as if she were putting up a strong fight against  
Snape's intrusion into her mind. The whole top half of her body seemed to expand before a  
frightening roar exploded from her mouth.

Snape gave a gasp and grabbed his left arm where Harry knew the Dark Mark was burned into his skin.

At the same time, Hermione gave a sharp cry and cradled her injured hand closer to her.

"HAH!" cried Bellatrix triumphantly. "One thing from your past that still hurts, eh, Severus? The Dark Lord still has a hold on you after all."

"_You!"_ spat Snape, staring at her.

"What's the matter, Severus? Found a memory of mine that didn't agree with you?"

"_You_ are responsible for the Mark on my arm!" he said, still grimacing with pain.

"Oh, come now. Are you telling me you wouldn't have become a Death Eater anyway, without my help?" It was Bellatrix's turn to sound sarcastic. "I just helped you make up your mind."

"By putting my life in danger," he snarled. "Forcing me to accept the Dark Mark to escape death..."

Bellatrix raised her wand. Snape was still clutching his arm and was too slow to block her  
spell this time; but instead of pointing her wand at him, she waved it around herself.

"_Alvinaria!"_

Bellatrix disappeared.

Snape stood up straight, brandishing his wand in front of him. He turned slowly in a circle, his eyes searching the cave.

Harry had the same sensation as when they had first entered the cave. He knew now that Bellatrix had been here all the time, probably watching as they had climbed in through the gap in the wall. Like Snape, he too began searching the cave with his eyes. A feeling of impending danger charging his senses.

A sudden explosion of light came from somewhere on their right and Snape was blasted through the air, landing with a smack against the wall.

"He can't see her!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Of course he can't, she's made herself invisible," said Harry, wondering why Hermione was suddenly so slow on the up take.

"The Alvina spell makes her invisible to males," she replied. "I can still see her." Hermione lifted her wand.

Harry grabbed her arm and brought it down.

"_What_ are you _doing_?" he said.

"I'm the only one who can see her..."

"You're injured, remember? She'll wipe the floor with you."

Snape was lifted from his feet by another spell and went sprawling across the floor.

"I've got to do _something!"_ Hermione cried, struggling to get her arm free from Harry's grasp. "She's going to kill him!"

"Since when do you risk your _own_ life for _Snape?"_ hissed Harry, incredulously.

Hermione's eyes flashed at him, full of anger and tears.

"Since I realised we have _this_ in common." She thrust the palm of her injured hand close to Harry's face and he stared at it, horrified.

Hermione's palm was covered in ugly red welts and blisters; but scorched into the skin, instantly and repugnantly recognisable, was the Dark Mark.

Harry was so shocked he released his grip on Hermione's arm without even knowing it. She pulled away from him and instantly sent a spell flying across the cave.

It hit the wall on the other side, sending shards of rock flying everywhere. Harry realised Hermione had missed.

"Oh, the little girl wants to play, does she?" came Bellatrix's voice from somewhere to the left. "Come on then..."

Harry saw a swish of Hermione's hair as she turned aside just as a blast of red light hit the wall beside them, missing them both by inches. Bits of rock sprayed out at them and scattered over the ground.

"Miss Granger, stay out of this!" bellowed Snape, getting to his feet.

"Yes, Miss Granger," said Bellatrix in a hideous mocking voice. "Do what the teacher says, or we'll have to confiscate your wand. _Accio Wa_..."

"_Protegio!"_ yelled Hermione at the same time and managed to snatch her wand just before it flew out of her grasp. "_Impedimenta!"_ she shouted quickly, and there came a cry and a crash near the steps.

Hermione had hit her target.

Almost immediately, Hermione screamed and went somersaulting backwards through the air, landing at Colin's feet.

Harry and Colin helped Hermione to sit up, but not before Bellatrix had yelled "_Accio Wand!" _

Hermione's wand flew from her grasp, disappearing as the invisible Bellatrix caught it.

"Are you OK?" asked Harry, thinking she didn't look OK.

Hermione ignored him and instead focused on the room.

"Straight ahead of you, Professor!" she yelled.

Snape pointed his wand ahead of him, but the spell went sailing through the air, hitting nothing but the wall beyond.

"It's no good," groaned Hermione in despair. "She's moving as soon as I tell him where she is. She'll always be a moment ahead of him." Then she gasped "Harry! I've got an idea. Give me your wand, quickly!"

"Wha...?" said Harry, reluctant to give up his wand while a battle raged in front of him.

Without waiting, Hermione snatched his wand from him and waved it in front of her, muttering something as she did.

She advanced into the room, Harry's wand held up in front of her.

Feeling very vulnerable, not to mention useless, Harry stood next to Colin and watched, intrigued. He didn't know what Hermione had just done or what she had planned, but she had a new look of determination about her.

Harry could see her mouth moving as if she were chanting to herself. Snape, who had his back to Hermione, spun round and stared at her with a look of astonishment.

Then, with just a moment's pause, Snape and Hermione suddenly turned in the same direction and sent spells shooting through the cave at the same time and towards the same point.

Bellatrix screamed.

It was then that Harry realised what Hermione was doing. She was using one of Professor Flitwick's Whispering charms. Only Snape could hear Hermione as she whispered to him the exact whereabouts of Bellatrix.

Hermione continued whispering as she moved slowly and carefully towards Snape. Both of them were following a moving target with their wands. It was as though Snape could now see Bellatrix as clearly as Hermione did.

"You'll never escape him, Severus." Bellatrix's voice moved around the room. "Do you have any idea what the Dark Lord does to those who betray him?" she laughed. "Shall I give you a taste of what your future holds...?"

"NOW!" Hermione yelled and she and Snape fired their spells towards the corner of the cave, cutting short the blast of green light which had obviously been fired by Bellatrix.

"You'll never be accepted by followers of Dumbledore." screeched Bellatrix. "You have the Mark. People will hate and fear you, no matter what you do. You'll be an outcast!"

"Thank you for your concern, Bella," said Snape, his lip curling as he spoke. "But I can assure you I am well accustomed to being an 'outcast'."

The wall opposite Harry began to move. Just as with the last cave, the groan of unoiled wheels echoed around the walls and a jagged line began to open diagonally through the rock.

Harry looked over at Hermione, hoping to get a clue from her reaction as to what was going on. Hermione continued whispering her running commentary.

As the wall continued to part, Hermione and Snape advanced towards it, slowly.

It gave Harry an extremely odd feeling to see Snape, a person he loathed, working as a team with one of his best friends. And such an impressive team. They were as synchronised as the most professional dancers. Snape had put himself totally in the hands of Hermione's instruction, and together they looked invincible.

Never in a million years did Harry envisage himself cheering Snape on - but they HAD to win, for all their sakes.

Snape and Hermione raised their wands in unison and fired their spells towards the gap in the wall, just as a jet of light flared from the opposite direction.

Bellatrix's scream filled the cave, echoing around the walls for longer than Harry thought possible. She reappeared just as she fell across the parted wall and landed, unmoving, in a heap on the ground.

Hermione had been sent spiralling towards the steps. Harry's wand flew out of her hand and went clattering to the floor a little way from them.

Harry ran to Hermione. She was gasping with pain and trying to reach her shoulder with her injured hand.

"Hermione!" cried Harry as he reached her. He went to help her sit up.

"STAND AWAY FROM HER, POTTER!" came Snape's command.

Harry looked up, unsure what was about to happen and wishing he had his wand with him; but Snape strode over, his wand and that of Bellatrix's at his side.

He took one look at Hermione and said,

"One of her more successful spells, and one which she used on myself only recently. We must move Miss Granger by stretcher or we will cause further damage."

Snape waved his wand and a stretcher appeared, floating in mid-air. With a swish, it glided effortlessly underneath Hermione and gently lifted her off the ground. Snape waved his wand again, and Hermione's head nodded to one side, her eyes closed.

"Wha...what have you done!" demanded Harry, alert to the slightest threat from Snape.

"Merely put her into a light sleep until she is back in the castle," he replied, simply.

"Here's your wand, Harry," said Colin in a small voice.

Harry took his wand, feeling a lot more comfortable with it back in his possession.

"And this fell out of Hermione's pocket," said Colin.

Harry looked and saw that Colin was holding the Scribe's Crystal. He held out his hand to take it, but then Snape's hand appeared next to his own, palm upwards.

Colin looked nervously from Harry to Snape, finally deciding to put the Crystal into Snape's hand.

Harry watched as Snape turned it over and examined it closely.

"Do you happen to know how this came to be in Miss Granger's possession, Potter?"

"Yes. I gave it to her." "Sir." he added quickly.

Snape was silent for a little while. He continued to turn the Crystal over and over in his hand. His greasy black hair fell in front of his face so that Harry couldn't see his expression.

"And would I be correct in assuming it was given to you by Black?"

"No, Sir."

Snape looked up at him quickly, his black eyes piercing into Harry's. It was clear Snape didn't believe him.

"My aunt gave it to me," Harry answered, defiantly.

Snape's lip curled.

"Ah, yes," he smirked. "The delectable Petunia Evans."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. How on earth and why on earth did Snape know his aunt's name?

"_'The Muggle who loved Sirius Black'_" quoted Snape, his eyes glittering with malicious amusement.

Harry didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"I didn't realise you read _'Witch Weekly'_, _Sir_," he said sarcastically.

"One sees these things left lying around the Staff Room," said Snape "This crystal was stolen from me in my last year as a student at Hogwarts. I always suspected Black but could never prove it. Thank you for finally doing so, Potter."

Harry was stunned.

"This...this is yours? How do you know?" he demanded. Surely there were more of these things around. Sirius wasn't a thief.

"Simply because the handles are fashioned in the shape of two S's - my initials. It was made for me and the design is the only one of its kind."

Harry stared down at the Crystal. _Snape's?_ He knew Sirius had hated Snape, but stealing his things? Harry couldn't believe it.

But then Harry remembered something Luna Lovegood had said to him at the end of last year. That people often took and hid her possessions simply because they thought she was odd. She also knew they called her 'Loony' and Harry had felt ashamed to be one of them. If _he _was capable of that, then surely Sirius was capable of being the same with Snape.

"However," said Snape, breaking into Harry's thoughts. "Black may have done something useful at last. By the sheer coincidence of this being in our possession we can use it to transport Miss Lestrange back to Azkaban."

"Huh?" said Harry, dumbly.

Harry and Colin watched as Snape eased a fingernail between a thin line that ran around the top edge of the Crystal. The edge split and opened on a tiny silver hinge. Inside was an equally tiny stopper.

"Potter, hold this upright," said Snape, removing the stopper and handing Harry the Crystal. "And be warned, there will be some force. _Under no circumstances do you drop it."_

Harry held the Crystal firmly, wondering what was going on. Snape stood upright and walked over to Bellatrix's body lying across the opening in the cave. He stood there for a few moments and Harry thought he saw a look of smug satisfaction cross Snape's face.

"Ready, Potter?"

Harry wasn't sure what he was supposed to be ready for, but he gulped and said,

"Yes, Sir."

Snape lifted his wand.

"_Vapour Incarcerare!"_

A dazzling white light streaked from the wand.

Bellatrix's body seemed to shimmer and shift like a thick liquid in a glass bottle and then a kind of swirly mist began winding its way from her midriff, rising up and spiralling round in a tall thin column.

Colin gave a cry, and Harry wasn't quite sure if he could believe his own eyes.

Bellatrix's body was dissolving into a kind of shaped steam. As the steam rose up, so Bellatrix's body seemed to evaporate into it until her head and toes met in the middle and were sucked up into the mini tornado. The last things to disappear were the two snakes heads on the end of her belt.

Snape, who had kept his wand pointing towards Bellatrix's body during all this, suddenly snapped his wand in Harry's direction as though it were a whip and the swirling mass flew towards Harry, who instinctively stepped back.

"DON'T MOVE, POTTER!" ordered Snape.

Harry anchored his feet to the spot and held the Crystal as steady and as firmly as he could.  
The tail of the tornado reached the Crystal and began disappearing inside. Like some kind of backwards kettle, the steam was sucked into the Crystal's inner chamber, jolting and jostling until Harry found he needed all his strength just to hold it steady.

After what seemed an age, the final whisps funnelled through the hole with a plop and Snape hurried forward and replaced the stopper.

Harry then realised he had been holding his breath during the whole process.

"_What _was _that!"_ he gasped in awe.

"Imprisonment by vaporisation," said Snape, taking the Crystal and placing it carefully in a pocket inside his cloak. "It is a restricted spell so extinguish any ideas you may have of using it yourself, Potter."

"Restricted to who, Sir?"

Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Those who are authorised to use it," he replied, through barely moving lips.

Harry realised he was in dangerous territory, but he couldn't ignore this little nugget of information.

Snape was authorised to use a restricted spell? That suggested he had an official position or something.

"And who would that be, Sir?"

"That," snarled Snape "Is none of your business. Now I suggest we leave."

Harry noticed Snape kept glancing over to the gap in the wall where Bellatrix had fallen. It was as though he expected someone to appear at any moment. Everytime Harry noticed Snape doing it he automatically looked as well.

It was difficult to see what lay beyond, but it looked to Harry more like a corridor than another cave. He would like to have asked, but Snape wasn't the kind of person you asked idle questions.

It was as they were preparing to go up the steps that Hermione's arm flopped over the side of the stretcher and dangled in mid-air. Snape was closest to her and was lifting the arm back impatiently, when he froze.

Looking down at Hermione's hand, he slowly turned it over.

Colin and Harry watched in silence as Snape stared at the Dark Mark burned into Hermione's skin. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. Then he looked up sharply and his eyes met Harry's.

"How did this happen?" he demanded.

Harry explained about being trapped in the previous cave with the water level rising and finding the Dark Mark on the wall instead of the sickle. How Hermione, before they could stop her, had put her hand on the Mark in order to open the wall to the next cave so they could escape.

Harry finished, expecting Snape to say something. It looked for a moment as though he would, but changed his mind.

He secured Hermione's arm back onto the stretcher took a brief glance at Hermione's face and then said,

"We must get her back within the Castle walls immediately."

* * *

Thanks so much to: 

FemmeLoki - Thanks for your review. Good to have you back. I hope you continue to read.

Emma Barrows - Well, time will tell for Hermione. Thanks for your review

Thouandl - Australia? Are you serious? That's quite a move. Are you OK about that? And as for a leak...funny you should say that...hehehe.

kuidhf - Thanks so much. More soon.


	9. Revelations

Thanks for your reviews - and to those silent readers who don't leave reviews, thank you for reading my story.

When I originally posted this story on a different site, it didn't have any chapters. The site only allowed about 1,000 words at a time, so I posted every day - trying to end on a little cliffie each time. What I'm saying is, if my chapters seem to be filled with a variety of different scenes (rather like this one) it's because I'm trying to collect the little scenes together into a viable chapter, whilst still giving you all a fair chunk of story to read. I also have only sixteen days left before the next book...

**Chapter Nine**

**REVELATIONS**

Harry led the way up the steps, followed by Colin, Hermione on the stretcher and then Snape. There were over a hundred steps, all uneven and with different depths which made the going difficult. Harry's legs were beginning to feel very heavy as they approached the last few.

There was a small landing at the top - just big enough for one person. To Harry's right was a sheer drop to the cave floor. On the left was a solid wall with a tiny sickle embedded in it, level with Harry's shoulder.

Harry knew of course that the sickle was quite harmless, but he couldn't help hesitating before he touched it. Memories of what happened to Hermione were filling his head even as he lifted his hand.

He took a deep breath and put his palm to the sickle.

The wall before him began to part, this time silently and they were hit by a rush of chill air and smells of the lake.

Harry stepped out onto a flat level of rock. After the stuffiness of the caves, it was like stepping out onto the deck of a ship. The wind tugged at his cloak and he became keenly aware of his wet clothes.

He looked around. This was clearly the same piece of rock through which they had entered. He could even see the place where they had gone in. It didn't seem possible - all they had just escaped from lay underneath.

Colin came out and together they guided the stretcher through the gap. A blanket covered Hermione, and Harry adjusted it, making sure she was properly protected from the weather. It was a totally unnecessary action, but it made Harry feel better doing it.

Snape appeared next, like some giant black insect emerging from a stone. He stopped just a step away from the exit.

The water lapped around the edge of the rock a few feet away. It looked black and forbidding. Harry shivered.

"The causeway - it's gone." said Colin.

Harry looked, amazed that Colin could remember anything about his journey into the cave.

"The causeway is only visible, and therefore usable, for a limited time," said Snape. "You will travel back to land by boat."

Snape raised his wand and muttered a spell. A long, oblong boat appeared at the water's edge.

Colin got in and steadied the boat while Harry carefully guided the stretcher into the bottom. Once he was sure the stretcher was secure, he turned, thinking he should probably let Snape get into the boat next.

Snape was still standing at the exit to the cave, watching. The wind whipped thick strands of greasy hair over his face so that Harry couldn't make out his expression, but Harry thought he seemed to be waiting for something. Snape's behavior had been a bit suspicious ever since Bellatrix had been caught. No. Correction... Snape's behavior had _always_ been suspicious.

Why had he turned up in the cave in the first place? Especially as only a short while ago he had been near to death.

But Snape had been staring directly into Harry's eyes...

"It's astounding how quickly the body can recover from even powerful spells when not being fed poison," said Snape, answering Harry's unvoiced question.

"But your shoulder...?"

"Madam Pomfrey is a master at mending broken bones, as long as the patient is not being kept suspended close to death."

Then, thought Harry, Hermione would be better very soon.

"Professor Dumbledore informs me I have you to thank for helping to save my life, Potter. Imagine," he went on, through barely moving lips, "regaining consciousness to find myself indebted, once again...to a _Potter_."

Harry didn't think Snape was about to hug him with gratitude.

"I believe you are aware of the bond created when one wizard saves the life of another." Snape continued. "A bond I wished to dispense with as quickly as possible. Knowing your arrogance, I assumed I wouldn't have too long to wait. Imagine then, my delight when I saw the three of you headed across the lake and into danger, a mere seven hours later."

"You...you knew Bellatrix was going to be there?"

"No. What I assumed would be there was a far greater danger. To us all."

"Why?" asked Harry. As loathed as he was to ask Snape for information, he had to know. "Why did you think Vol..."

Snape hissed.

"...'He' would be there? Did you know about the gold? Where does that corridor lead?"

"_Silence!"_

Snape's voice bounced over the water. Hermione moaned in her sleep. Snape glanced at her and then back at Harry. His hand shot up and grasped Harry's upper arm tightly.

"Listen to me, Potter," Snape's voice was low and waspish. "I realise you find it difficult not to meddle in things that are none of your business, and that you have a blatant disregard for instructions given for your own safety." Snape's fingers gripped Harry's arm so tightly, Harry was sure there would be an imprint in his flesh the next day. "However," Snape continued. "I cannot impress upon you strongly enough the urgency of getting Miss Granger back to the safety of the Castle. That, and only that, is your aim tonight regardless of whatever else happens. _Do I make myself clear?"_

Harry's arm was almost numb as Snape shook it with his last words. He didn't understand what Snape was going on about. What did he think he was going to do? Abandon Colin and Hermione in the middle of the lake?

But something else in Snape's words jolted in Harry's brain.

"You're not coming back with us, _Sir_?" he said, trying to make his voice sound normal despite the pain in his arm making him wince.

Snape glared and threw Harry from him.

"_Go!"_ he spat. "Before I remove the boat and take pleasure in watching you all drown."

Harry clambered into the boat. Checking again that Hermione's stretcher was secure, he pushed off from the rocks as quickly as possible. As far as he was concerned, Snape could stay there on the rock and rot.

The boat turned itself and began floating gently around the rock so that it could head towards the land nearest the Castle.

Snape stood watching them, getting smaller as the distance between them got bigger. His silhouette remaining quite still apart from the wind flapping at his cloak.

"I don't get it," said Harry, more to himself than to Colin. "What's he waiting for?"

"Perhaps he's going back into the cave for something?" suggested Colin. "Maybe he's going to...ohhhh! Harry! Look!"

Colin was pointing towards the sky above the Castle.

The moon shone weakly over the lake. In its milky light hundreds of birds of all different sizes were zooming around in the sky.

"They must be the school owls," said Colin in amazement. "Look at them flying in and out of the moonlight. It's as if they're playing a game of Owl Quiddich!"

Harry watched as the birds weaved and swooped in and out of each others path at great speed, but never colliding. It reminded him of the way bats flew. In fact, some of them were small enough to _be_ bats. He'd never witnessed owls doing anything like this before though, and wondered if Hedwig was up there enjoying the game.

Thinking she probably was, Harry looked back at the rock.

Snape had gone.

As they neared the bank, another cloaked figure stood watching them. Not the sinister black-cloaked figure of Snape, but the willowy form of Professor Dumbledore, whose cloak was decorated with shiny moons and stars, and whose silver hair and beard seemed to radiate light.

The boat reached land with the tiniest jolt and Harry clambered out as Dumbledore stepped forward. Without speaking, Dumbledore pointed his wand at the stretcher and it floated out of the boat and hovered between them.

Harry watched as Dumbledore put his hand on Hermione's forehead. Then, just as Harry had done earlier, he tucked the blanket unnecessarily around her.

Colin came up to the stretcher. Dumbledore looked at him, his eyes twinkling for the first time.

"Colin, that is a wonderful trick for Halloween," he said, and Colin put his hands self-consciously to his ears. "But I think we need to get you to Madam Pomfrey straight away. If you hurry, she will be able to deal with you before all her attention is given to Miss Granger. Off you go. She is expecting you."

Colin set off, running. Harry turned to Dumbledore.

"Madam Pomfrey's expecting us? How does she know..?"

"Professor Snape warned me of your arrival," replied Dumbledore, matter-of-factly.

"Snape?" said Harry, incredulously. "But he's still at the rock. How..?" But Harry didn't finish his question. At that moment the ground began to tremble. So much so, that Harry found it difficult to stand upright. He put out his arms to try and keep his balance.

A low, heavy rumbling gradually built up until Harry thought his eardrums were about to jump out of his ears. It was joined by the most excruciating screeching - like finger nails being drawn down a chalk board.

Harry looked questioningly at Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was staring at something across the lake.

Harry turned to look in the same direction. At first he could see nothing out of the ordinary and he scanned the lake for a clue, all the time wincing at the noise. Then he noticed something.

The rock in the middle of the lake was shrinking. it was sinking into the water. The waves were reaching higher and higher and large sprays of water and bubbles could be seen as the rock slowly disappeared inch by inch below the lake.

A chill swept over Harry as he watched the rock sinking slowly, like a submerging whale. He turned to Dumbeldore and the chill he felt turned to ice as he saw the Headmaster's astonished expression. Clearly, Dumbledore hadn't been expecting this.

"Professor Dumbledore!" yelled Harry over the screeching. "Professor Snape! He's still over there!"

As much as Harry hated Snape, the thrill of horror that gripped him as he realised he was watching someone he knew being trapped and probably drowned, was overwhelming.  
He stared at Dumbledore again. Why was he just standing there doing nothing? Standing there as if in a trance?

"Professor!" he yelled again, and running to the other side of the stretcher, grabbed Dumbledore's arm. He began pulling Dumbledore towards the boat. "He's trapped! Do something!"

But Dumbledore stood glued to the spot. His head turned towards Harry but his eyes, for a moment, remained focused on the rock. Then he brought his full attention to Harry and looked deep into his eyes.

"Harry. I believe you received instructions from Professor Snape before you left him? Do you remember what they were?"

"Of course, but..." Harry began. Dumbledore looked at him over the top of his spectacles and Harry stopped. "He told me...he told me that no matter what happened, I was to get Hermione back into the Castle..."

"Precisely," answered Dumbledore.

"But..."

"No 'buts' Harry. Professor Snape knows better than most the danger Miss Granger is in. We must get her into the Castle without delay."

Dumbledore waved his wand and the stretcher began to float off towards the Castle.

Dumbledore followed.

Harry stared in disbelief at Dumbledore's back and then, feeling slightly sick, began to follow.

Harry moved through the castle in a daze. He didn't remember walking along the corridors and up the staircases that led to the Hospital Wing, but somehow they got there.

Running through his head all the time were memories of the water pouring in through the roof of the cave and the sick fear he had felt, sure they were all about to drown.

How could Dumbledore have walked away, leaving Snape to the same fate?

Madam Pomfrey was waiting for them. She whisked Hermione and the stretcher away behind a screen.

Dumbledore turned to look at Harry.

"I see accusation in your eyes, Harry."

"You're supposed to be this powerful wizard," said Harry, bitterly. "People have told me how great you are. Even Voldemort is scared of your powers. So how come you couldn't help Snape?"

"_Professor_ Snape would not have wanted my help."

"Even if it saved his life?" said Harry in disbelief.

Dumbledore breathed in and out slowly before replying.

"I do not believe Professor Snape is dead. I admit that Caverna Caeli sinking back beneath the lake was something I had not expected just yet. However, if I am correct, Professor Snape will have returned to the cave and escaped through the passageway."

Harry's mind struggled to keep up with this information.

"But you might be wrong," he said.

"I agree." Dumbledore inclined his head. "But I have sufficient confidence in Professor Snape's powers to expect him back at the school within the hour." Dumbledore considered Harry over the top of his glasses. "Do I detect a change of attitude towards your ex-Potions Master, that you are so concerned for his safety?"

"No way!" spluttered Harry before he could stop himself. "He's still an evil...I mean, I still hate...but when someone's life is in danger...I mean, he's a human being..."

Dumbledore regarded Harry for a moment and then Madam Pomfrey's head appeared through the screens.

"Headmaster..."

They walked over. Madam Pomfrey looked at Harry and then at Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded and Madam Pomfrey let Harry pass.

Hermione looked very small and helpless. Some of her hair was plastered to her head and she was bandaged just like Snape had been when he had been in the Hospital Wing.

"Madam Pomfrey can mend broken bones in a trice," said Dumbledore. "Miss Granger should be sitting up in bed enjoying chicken soup by tomorrow lunchtime."

"What about that?" said Harry, pointing at Hermione's hand. Dumbledore lifted it gently and turned it over, revealing the Dark Mark.

"I am afraid," he said. "this will prove a little more difficult."

"But you will be able to get rid of it?" said Harry, looking from Dumbledore to Madam Pomfrey.

The look on their faces answered his question.

"But...but...does that mean Hermione's now a Death Eater?"

"She may have Voldemort's mark, but do you seriously imagine Miss Granger following him because of it? Yes, it will burn whenever he calls his followers. Sometimes the call will challenge her will power; but whilst she remains in Hogwarts she will be safe."

"So she can't go home to see her parents? Or visit Hogsmeade?" said Harry in disbelief. "And what happens at the end of next year when she leaves school?"

Dumbledore looked up, but instead of looking at Harry, he stared at the screen on the other side of the bed. When he spoke he sounded very old and tired.

"By then, Harry, I believe we shall all know what fate has in store for us."

A silence hung over them for a moment until Harry asked in a whisper,

"Wha...what do you mean?"

Dumbledore turned slowly to look at him. Harry couldn't remember Dumbledore looking so old.

"It means I believe the time is approaching when the prophecy will be fulfilled. Before your last year at Hogwarts is complete, you will have faced Voldemort for the final time."

The words numbed Harry.

'Before your last year at Hogwarts has ended'.

Ever since he had learned about the Prophecy and its contents, Harry had managed to convince himself this terrible but inevitable part of his life would occur sometime in the distant future.

Professor Dumbledore's words had slapped him in the face.

This thing wasn't happening later, but within the next eighteen months.

He hardly noticed Madam Pomfrey insisting he spend what remained of the night in the Hospital Wing under observation.

As he got into bed he saw through the window the sky tinged with indigo. Daybreak was approaching.

Harry wasn't expecting sleep to come easily, but closed his eyes anyway.

The next time he opened them he discovered he had slept for over twenty-four hours and Ron was sitting on his bed.

Ron had brought Harry a bag of Honeydukes toffee but as Harry wasn't in the mood for sweets, Ron sat working his way through them until there were just two pieces left.

"Snape's back," said Ron when Harry asked. "Had his first day as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher yesterday."

"Already?"

"Yep. Apparently he's even worse than when he was Potions Master."

"You'd think he'd be happier now he's got the job he always wanted," said Harry.

Ron shook his head.

"Ginny says he took five points from a Ravenclaw girl just because she sneezed while he was talking. He's reducing people to tears - and not just girls. Apparently one first year boy tried to get himself expelled so that he wouldn't have to have another lesson with him."

Harry, who had experienced Snape's wrath more than most, shook his head.

"Sounds normal to me. They should try Occlumency lessons with him..."

"I'll tell you what's _not_ normal," said Ron, scrunching the now empty toffee bag into a ball and throwing it on the bedside table. "Even the_ Slytherins_ are getting detentions and extra homework. I tell you, Harry, whatever Bellatrix hit him with in that cave has done the impossible - it's made him worse than before."

Ron had been absolutely furious that he'd missed all the action in the cave. His conversation was peppered with all the nasty hexes he'd like to spring on Pansy Parkinson.

"I mean, if she hadn't hexed me, I wouldn't have been out of it. I'd have come with you and maybe Hermione wouldn't have got hurt. I can't _believe_ she was stupid enough to touch the Dark Mark."

"She saved our lives, Ron," Harry reminded him.

"Yeah, I know but...well it's not going to be easy for her, is it? Everyone'll be terrified of her when they see the Mark."

"Not the people who matter. I mean, _you_ still like her..."

Ron went crimson.

"Yeah, I've been told all about what I said to Hermione while I was hexed," said Ron. "I can't go into the Common Room without someone reminding me. It's not true, you know."

"What isn't?"

"That I fell in love with her on the train that first year. I mean, we couldn't _stand_ her, remember?" Ron looked at Harry for confirmation. Harry nodded.

"Harry, you're my best mate, right? You're the only one I'd ever tell this to..." Ron looked all around the room making sure no one could overhear. "The truth is," he spoke in a low voice. "I think I _do_...sort of...you know...l-ike Hermione, but it didn't happen on the train. I think it happened right after we fought that troll. Remember? When Hermione was trapped in the girls toilets."

"How could I forget?" said Harry.

"Couldn't really ignore her after sharing an experience like that, could I?"

Harry remembered his conversation with Hermione in the Common Room just before they went after Colin.

"Ron," he said, wondering how long he was going to be the go-between for the pair of them. "Why don't you just talk to Hermione about it?"

"Are you _mad_?" spluttered Ron. "You can't just walk up to a girl and say 'oh, duh, I love you'. She'd laugh in my face."

"Yeah, she would if you did it like _that!"_ Harry told him.

"Besides, what if I asked her out and she turned me down?" continued Ron. "How could I still be friends with her?"

Harry looked past Ron to the other side of the ward. Madam Pomfrey was drawing back the screens around Hermione's bed.

Hermione was sitting up.

"Hello," she said.

* * *

There was something different about Hermione.

She wore a high-necked nightgown that hid her bandages. Her hair had been washed and now hung like a glossy mane past her shoulders. Her skin looked really glowing and healthy and there was a look in her eye Harry had never noticed before.

She looked older. More...grown-up.

She looked beautiful.

Ron just looked terrified.

"Wow, Hermione! You look great!" said Harry, nudging the petrified Ron towards a chair. "Doesn't she, Ron?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Looking good, Hermione." Ron held both thumbs up at her, grinned awkwardly and almost fell into the chair.

"How are you feeling?" asked Harry. He noticed she kept her injured hand out of sight below the blankets.

"Fine. Madam Pomfrey says my bandages can come off tomorrow," she said, smiling. "I've even been feeling well enough to catch up on some work."

Harry saw Ron look up and silently pleaded with him not to comment this time, but...

"Bet your glad you didn't injure your writing hand, huh?"

Harry groaned inwardly.

Hermione's smile wavered a little and her face lost some of its colour.

"Yes," she said, tersely.

Harry wasn't sure what to say, but felt he had to break the silence.

"Hermione..." he began.

"I'm told it will burn," she said, cutting through Harry's sentence. She looked down at the bed covers, plucking at them with her fingers. "When he calls us - his Death Eaters - apparently I will feel compelled to go to him. I'm going to be taught how to resist. Professor Dumbledore thinks I have sufficient abilities to cope."

"He's right. You're a brilliant witch, Hermione," Harry told her. "Everyone thinks so."

But tears were falling silently down Hermione's cheeks.

"They won't now, though, will they?" she said with a trembling lip. "No one wants to be friends with a Death Eater."

"You're _not_ a Death Eater," said Ron, moving to sit on the edge of Hermione's bed.

"Doesn't matter. People will see the Mark and assume that's what I am. Bellatrix was right."

"Bellatrix?"

"Yes. You remember, Harry, what she said to Professor Snape in the cave? That everyone would fear him because of the Mark. He'd be an outcast forever."

"But you're not Snape," said Ron. "She was talking about Snape."

"I've got the Dark Mark, Ron, the same as him. I _will_ be an outcast."

Harrysat on the bed, opposite Ron.

"You won't be an outcast. Not to us. Not to your friends."

She looked at Harry.

"You know what it's like," she said to him. "People react and stare at your scar all the time, but at least it doesn't terrify them."

Harry thought of all the hassle and irritation of people recognising him because of the scar on his forehead and their various reactions to it. He silently agreed that Hermione was in for a tough time.

"Once people get to know you, they won't even notice your scar," he told her. "Do you still notice mine?"

She gave him a lopsided smile.

"I'll just have to wear gloves all the time," she said. "At least, if I'm ever allowed out of the school."

"You'll be allowed out in no time," said Ron. "In fact...erm...I was thinking," Ron cleared his throat. "Next Hogsmeade weekend - would you like to go out with me? I'm sure you'll be allowed by then - once Dumbledore's taught you how to..."

"Oh," said Hermione, looking a bit awkward. "Well, actually, Dumbledore isn't the one who's going to be teaching me."

"Oh. I thought you said...who is then?" said Ron.

"Well, it's obvious really, isn't it? There's only one person in the school with firsthand knowledge of this..."

"_Snape?"_ said Ron, aghast. "You're having extra lessons with _Snape?"_

"Oh, Hermione. Then I was wrong," laughed Harry. "You really _do_ have a problem!"

Harry and Ron grinned widely at each other across the bed.

"Actually, he's been quite sweet about it."

Harry and Ron's grins froze on their faces and then melted into ones of disgust. They both turned to stare at Hermione and together almost shouted,

_"SWEET!"_

She gave a little smile at their reactions.

"Yes. He came to see me last night..."

"Snape came to..." Ron looked at her in total disbelief.

"Well, OK, I know he only came to see me because Dumbledore made him. He was really furious. He kept pacing backwards and forwards at the end of the bed and didn't look at me once."

"I suppose compared to his usual behavior that could be described as 'sweet'," Ron conceded, folding his arms as if daring Hermione to continue with this nonsense.

"No, I mean, well, he's a really private person, isn't he. And to come here and have to talk about something so personal - and to a student. Well, it must have been very difficult for him. That's all I mean."

Ron moved his mouth silently like a goldfish. Harry thought he'd better say something before Ron found his voice.

"What exactly did he say?"

"He told me the burning gets worse the more powerful Vol...You-Know-Who gets. Don't say his name anymore, Harry, please. It stings when you do." Hermione bit her lip and her eyes looked sideways for a moment. Harry knew she was trying to control the tears.  
"He said..." she cleared her throat. "He said that I would find the call difficult to ignore even though I don't want to go, but that I'm safe at Hogwarts because we can't disapparate inside the Castle. The lessons are to help me resist in the outside world, so I won't be a prisoner in school."

Harry took hold of Hermione's good hand and gave it a little squeeze. He smiled at her, reassuringly.

"_Sweet!"_ spluttered Ron.

"Ron!" warned Harry.

"Well," he laughed, a little hysterically. "I'm still having trouble coming to terms with the fact she helped _save_ _his life_, and then she comes out with _'sweet'!"_

Hermione pushed herself up in the bed.

"What do you mean?" she said, dangerously.

Harry noticed her lips go thinner and her eyes narrowed. A warning light went on in his head.  
Unfortunately, in Ron's head the warning light was well and truly broken. He continued blindly.

"I mean, _Snape!_ How could you've fought alongside that slime ball?"

"What should I have done? Let her kill him?" snapped Hermione.

"Yeah!" laughed Ron, oblivious to the anger in Hermione's voice. "It was our one chance to get rid of the evil git and you blew it!"

Ron grinned from Hermione to Harry, waiting for them both to join in the joke.

Hermione's face was like thunder.

"You _stupid_... You're just _so_ immature! Why don't you go away and _grow up_!"

Ron finally realised no one was laughing. His face fell like a landslide.

"Wha...?"

Harry saw Madam Pomfrey advancing up the ward.

"Come on, Ron," he said, trying gently to push Ron away from the bed. "I think it's time we were going."

"NO! Hang on a minute," he said, his voice rising with indignation. "I want to know what she's on about..."

"Mr. Weasley! I must ask you to leave the ward..." Madam Pomfrey took hold of Ron's other arm.

Ron resisted. Harry and Madam Pomfrey took a firmer hold and between them began frog-marching him backwards down the ward.

"What's she got so angry about?" he shouted as they marched him along. "She knows I was only joking."

"Well it WASN'T VERY FUNNY, Ron!" Hermione shouted back.

Just before they reached the doors to the ward, Ron stopped struggling and glared at Hermione.

"His life isn't in danger anymore," he shouted sarcastically. "You can stop defending him now."

Hermione went a deep shade of pink.

"GET OUT!" she screamed.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going, Mr. Potter?"

Harry had begun walking with Ron down the corridor away from the ward when Madam Pomfrey called after him. It was only then he remembered he was still wearing pajamas and wasn't actually supposed to leave the ward yet.

"Oh, yeah," he said, turning round. "Could you just give me a few minutes, Madam Pomfrey?"

She raised her eyebrows but went through the doors without another word, leaving them alone.

"_What_ was all _that_ about?" Harry glared at Ron.

"Don't ask ME! Ask HER! She's the one with the problem."

Ron couldn't stand still. He was pacing backwards and forwards. He gesticulated wildly as he spoke. In particular, stabbing a finger at the doors to the ward to punctuate each sentence.

"Just a moment ago you actually managed to ask her out, and now you've ended up screaming at each other."

"Yeah, well she can forget about Hogsmeade. And in case you hadn't noticed - she didn't answer me. She just changed the subject."

"Mmmm. I think you might have caught a bludger on that one, Ron."

"No worries. I'm through with her. No, seriously, Harry. I don't care anymore. I'd rather go to Hogsmeade with Millicent Bullstrode. Forget all that rubbish I told you earlier. That was me being 'STUPID' and 'IMMATURE'!" he shouted at the door.

"Ron..."

"Whatever Bellatrix hit her with in that cave..."

Ron stopped and looked at Harry, wide-eyed. "Harry! You don't think Bellatrix really could have put a spell on them both, do you? Snape and Hermione, I mean. To make them both really evil?"

Harry sighed.

"No, Ron, I don't. On this occasion, you did it all by yourself."

Ron looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah. Suppose. Well, see you later, Harry."

"I'll come and find you, soon as I get out."

Ron walked away, holding his hand up to indicate he'd heard Harry. Harry watched until Ron turned the corner, and then pushed the door open to the ward.

Hermione lay on her bed with her back turned towards the door. As Harry drew level with her, he paused to see if she was OK, but she was curled up into a tight ball, the blankets reaching her nose. Her eyes were closed.

He sat down on his own bed wondering if the three of them could ever get their friendship back to how it had been.

Madam Pomfrey broke into his thoughts.

"Mr. Potter, would you get dressed please. The Headmaster would like to see you in his office."

* * *

Mr. Fudge was in Dumbledore's office when Harry arrived. He had aged considerably in the last few months. His shoulders stooped as though he carried a huge weight on them and many more lines creased his face.

He stood with his back to the fire, but stepped forward when Harry entered the room.

"Ah, Harry," he said, shaking Harry by the hand and clapping him on the shoulder with his other. "Sterling work once again, eh?"

Fudge spoke in an exaggerated friendly voice almost as if he were trying to make amends for doubting Harry's sanity during the last year.

"Sorry, Mr. Fudge?" Harry wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to have done that was 'sterling'. He looked at Dumbledore for a clue, but Dumbledore was leaning at ease in his chair, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I've been talking with the Ministry and they've all agreed that your bravery in the past year, not to mention more recent events is worthy of an Order of Merlin, Second Class, no less."

Fudge's face beamed with satisfaction as he delivered this piece of news.

"Er..." said Harry.

"Surprised, eh?" chuckled Fudge. "Well no one can deny you deserve it. I mean tackling You-Know-Who last summer and then finding the goblin gold...you must be feeling quite proud of yourself."

Harry couldn't help feeling there was insincerity in Fudge's attitude. It was only last year he had put Harry on trial and tried to get him expelled from Hogwarts. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted to play ball with this man, even if he_ was_ the Minister of Magic.

"I came face to face with Voldemort," said Harry, taking pleasure in the look of horror on Fudge's face at the mention of the name. "because of my own stupidity, Mr. Fudge. As for goblin gold - I didn't find any gold."

Fudge smiled indulgently.

"As modest as ever, eh, Harry? By finding the goblin gold and being able to return it to the goblins, we now have them on our side. And who'd have guessed the gold had been hidden in the one place no one would ever think to look. In the goblins own vaults! Where it was stolen from in the first place!

"Well, anyway, the Ministry has decided to award you the medal. The award ceremony will take place atthe Ministryon the second of January. I'm not sure we can get your Aunt and Uncle there..."

"Oh, no, no, Mr. Fudge. I think, I mean, erm..."

"I suppose, Dumbledore, we could find a way of getting Harry's family to the ceremony..?"

"Mr. Fudge," said Harry, quite loudly to get his attention. "My Aunt and Uncle won't want to...and neither do I."

Fudge was still beaming.

"I mean, it's very kind of the Ministry, but if you don't mind, I'd rather not have a medal."

Fudge frowned and then did a sort of spluttery laugh. He glanced at Dumbledore as if wanting confirmation of what he'd just heard.

"Not want a...why on earth not? I have to tell you, Harry, that a Merlin Second Class has never been awarded to one so young. You should be honored."

"I am, sir," said Harry, truthfully. "It's just that, well, I think there's already too much fuss attached to my name. I'd rather not have an award tagged onto it as well."

Fudge took a moment to digest this.

"Ah yes. I see what you mean. Quite understand. Well, if you're quite sure...?"

He looked at Harry and Harry nodded.

"Well, you'll always know we made the offer. Dumbledore..."

Fudge nodded towards the Headmaster and Dumbledore rose to show the Minister to the door.

Harry suspected Dumbledore had summoned him to his office for more than Fudge's announcement and he was right. As Fudge left and Dumbledore closed the door he gestured for Harry to take a seat.

"An Order of Merlin Second Class, Harry. My, my..."

"I hope I wasn't being rude, Sir - turning it down, I mean..."

Dumbledore held his hands up to stop Harry.

"I fully understand your reasons, Harry, and I applaud them. Just between ourselves, I was only surprised you remained so polite. After your treatment last year at the hands of the Ministry, I found your responses very restrained." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at him over his half-moon spectacles.

"Why does the Minister think I found the goblin gold, Sir?"

"He doesn't. He is using you, Harry. You see, he would rather acknowledge 'The Boy Who Lived' as the hero of the day, than explain how the gold was really discovered. Bad news may sell newspapers, but good news boosts the Public morale in times of trouble."

"But how could _anyone_ discover the gold? It's invisible. Bellatrix said there was a Secret Keeper."

"I am surprised you, of all people, Harry, have forgotten that once the secret had been told, the gold _could_ be found."

Harry shivered. Of course, how could he have forgotten Wormtail's betrayal of his parents' whereabouts.

"But the cave was empty, Professor. We couldn't see anything..."

"Caverna Caeli is vast. Far larger than the island of rocks suggests. There are many more chambers than the ones you discovered. It is where the goblins originally stored their gold and, as the Minister observed, where better for Voldemort to hide the gold than in the very place it had been stolen from?

"Once Voldemort was in possession of the gold, it was given a Secret Keeper. The goblins were told they would have their gold back once they had sworn allegiance to the Dark Lord. Before the goblins could make their reply, Voldemort was all but destroyed by yourself. For all the years since, the whereabouts of the gold has remained a mystery."

Harry thought of the corridor beyond the last cave. That must have led to the other chambers that contained the gold. Voldemort had sent Bellatrix to retrieve it - or had Bellatrix known all along where it was hidden, unable to get to it all these years because she'd been in Azkaban?

Dumbledore's voice broke into Harry's thoughts.

"With the return of Voldemort, it was imperative we find the gold and retain the goblins as our allies."

"That's why Sna...Professor Snape stayed behind on the rocks instead of coming back in the boat with us," said Harry, suddenly realising. "He had to go back to the cave to get the gold."

"Precisely," Dumbledore nodded.

Harry thought back to the rock and Snape refusing to answer Harry's questions. He looked up at Dumbledore and wondered...

"Professor Snape told me that he had expected to find Voldemort in the cave," he said. "Why...how..I mean, Snape had been unconscious a long time. How could he have known there was danger in the caves or what was going on? How did he know the gold was there?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment before replying,

"Because, Harry, Severus Snape _was_ the gold's Secret Keeper..."

Harry heard Bellatrix's voice:

_"I wish I could be there to see his face when he realises the key to its whereabouts has been at the Castle all these years."_

She had meant Snape. He was the key she spoke about. Snape had known about the gold all the time and not said a word.

And _still_ Dumbledore trusted him.

"In the months that followed Voldemort's disappearance," Dumbledore continued. "The Death Eaters who remained free sought Severus Snape in order to obtain details of the gold's whereabouts. By that time, however, Severus had already come over to us. When the Death Eaters eventually caught up with him, he refused to give them any information."

Dumbledore's brow furrowed and he fiddled with a quill, absent-mindedly.

"I brought Severus back to Hogwarts myself. He had been tortured. So much so that when he finally recovered, weeks later, he was totally unaware he had ever been the gold's Secret Keeper. It took Lucius Malfoy and a potion of Sleeping Death to unlock the memory years later."

"How did Malfoy get the information from Snape if Snape was unconscious?" said Harry.

"Rather like the state of hypnosis, the draught allowed Lucius to speak to Professor Snape and obtain answers which lay hidden in his subconscious. Professor Snape could hear nothing but the voice of Lucius Malfoy. Once Lucius was caught and we were fully aware of what had been going on, Madam Pomfrey was able to supply an antidote. When he regained consciousness, Professor Snape was able to recall everything he had said. It was then we realised Caverna Caeli had become an extremely dangerous place.

"Professor Snape risked a great deal following you to the cave, Harry."

"He only followed so he wouldn't be in my debt, like he was in my dad's," scoffed Harry. "He told me that. Snape couldn't care less if I lived or died."

Harry was looking directly at Dumbledore as he said this and was unsettled to see a piercing look of annoyance flash across Dumbledore's eyes.

"Yes he could, Harry. As much as you may_ think_ otherwise, Severus Snape has a _great_ deal of interest in your survival."

"What do you mean? He loathes me..."

"You are the one person who can vanquish Voldemort for ever. Until that time, Severus Snape has no prospects of leading a relatively normal life without fear of Voldemort's wrath. You are his only hope, Harry. You are _our_ only hope." Dumbledore looked away towards the window, his eyes glistening behind his glasses.

Harry felt the blood rush to his head. he stood up, tipping his chair over as he did so.

"That's TOO MUCH!" he yelled. "That's too much responsibility to place on me. Either I kill Voldemort or the whole world suffers? I can't HAVE that weight on my shoulders. It's not FAIR!" Harry's face was burning. He was leaning with his fists on Dumbledore's desk and pushing his face towards Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked up at Harry.

"Believe me, Harry, when I say I would give my life if I could take your place. I wish with all my heart that I could save you from what lies ahead and prevent any harm coming to you. Voldemort is a very powerful wizard and his followers are ruthless; but you have many great and powerful people on _your_ side, Harry - and yes, I _do_ include Professor Snape - who are not going to allow you to do this by yourself."

Feeling unsteadied by his outburst, Harry picked up his chair and sank back into it. He realised none of this was Dumbledore's fault. He hadn't invented the prophecy. It was wrong to take it out on Dumbledore.

They sat in silence for a while with only the instruments around the room making little puffing and ticking noises. Then, in a very meek voice, Harry asked,

"What happened to Professor Flight, Sir?"

"Sirens are an essence rather than body and therefore cannot be killed. However, they can be silenced by hostile spells. Without her voice, the Professor was forced to return instantly to her sisters. She will be fine."

"And Professor Polykett? We know he was in contact with Malfoy. Even Professor McGonnegal saw him."

Dumbledore smiled indulgently.

"Ah, yes. Ambrose. As you may have gathered, Harry, Ambrose Polykett has a rather obsessive fascination for explosive concoctions. Your friend Mr. Weasley will bear witness to that!"

Harry felt a small smile creeping across his face when he thought how ridiculous Ron had looked with the rhinocoral on his nose.

"It just so happens," Dumbledore went on. "That the hair of a pure white cat is an ingredient in potions for silent explosives. He allowed Lucius the cat the freedom of the potions room so that he could collect the hair. Apart from being rather..shall we say, _engrossed_ in his hobby, he was quite innocent in the whole affair..."

"So he's still here?"

"No." Dumbledore gave a little smile. "I thought it in his best interests to send him as far away from Hogwarts as possible, before Professor Snape returned to the dungeons and saw the condition of the Potions Room."

* * *

**Thouandl -** I have to agree about the baby talk. Makes me want to wring her neck. And as for Severus ever liking her - to quote Severus in 24LH "We all do strange things in adolescence." My favourite part is Hermione and Snape fighting together. I really did think they would look invincible together.

**Queen of the Faeries** - I wrote this story just after OotP was published. It was the first HP I ever wrote and it was posted on a site for younger readers. The site allowed nothing more than a 'T' rating, so, no, this is not the Snape/Hermione story I mentioned earlier, although it does involve a shifting of attitudes between the pair, and the story very much involves them both, whilst still keeping Harry's pov. I realise readers on this site are older and will recognise what is going on, but the readers on the previous site were more concerned with Ron asking her out, so didn't see it.

The story I mentioned to you is most definitely an NC17. I have never written erotic fiction before, but this is a one-shot pwp story just as an experiment. I haven't written it yet, and I'm not sure I will. If I do write it, it will be posted on Ashwinder.

As always I am delighted to get your reviews. (My distinct style of writing Sev? Do I have one?)

**Emma Barrows** - So glad you're enjoying the story, lol.

**Widow767** - I shall be updating quite quickly - trying to get it posted before 16th. Don't think I shall manage it though.

**FemmeLoki -** No, this is not a Snape/Hermione ship as such, (you'll see what I mean at the end) although they do dominate the plot quite a bit.

Ah yes. Bella and the pregnancy test. Well, I figured that Bella would have learned what to look for. Narcissa's campaign was against Muggles expecting heirs to pure blood families. She had sussed the situation between Severus and Andi on that first meeting in Antonio's restaurant and had put the watch on them (Liz mentions feeling she was being watched when she moved stuff out of Andi's flat). Considering the subject of the campaign, Bella would have been alerted to Muggle methods of testing for pregnancy. Is that OK? Please feel free to ask any other questions that occur to you in the wee small hours! Sweet dreams! lol.

**Lydia **- Thank you so much for your lovely review. Snape calls Bella 'Miss Lestrange'? Really? I hadn't realised. Of course, I meant for him to do that (cough), just as we call actresses 'Miss' even though they're married (cough)...Oh heck, I give up...I slipped up! There will probably be a few more slips along the way. Five points to your House if you spot them! lol.


	10. Halloween and Christmas

Thank you those of you who left reviews. To those who read but don't review - thank you for reading my story.

I have got the rest of this story into four chapters, and (I know I keep going on about this) in order to finish the story before Half-Blood Prince comes out (not long now - yaaaay!) I shall be posting the remaining three chapters during the next eleven days. Apologies if you get fed up with receiving chapter update emails. lol.

**CHAPTER TEN**

**HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS**

Halloween arrived and Ron had no trouble asking a number of girls to go out with him, eventually being accepted by Luna Lovegood.

"After the way Hermione turned me down I knew I could cope with any kind of rejection, so I lost my fear. Good old Hermione, eh?"

Hermione had been the first to apologise for the argument in the Hospital Wing. She had offered the hand of friendship and Ron had grudgingly taken it. Harry knew that Ron had been stung by Hermione's words that day and didn't seem able to forget.

Ron and Luna, Ginny and Neville went down to Hogsmeade together, leaving Harry and Hermione sitting in a quiet corner of the library.

Hermione didn't seem to mind staying behind.

"I feel safe here," she told Harry. "Besides, I've got to concentrate on my Ancient Runes homework. I'd got used to using the Scribe's Crystal - it made it easy. Now I haven't got it, I'm finding the work really difficult and it's taking me ages."

Snape had kept the Crystal, which didn't bother Harry. It was Snape's after all and not Sirius'. It meant nothing to Harry now.

"What about you," asked Hermione. "I thought you were going to 'blast Filch out of the way' to get to Hogsmeade," she reminded him with a grin.

"Yeah, well. Ron's gone off with Luna and you _can't_ go, I thought I'd be a bit lost." He looked at Hermione. "Do you...do you mind Ron going out with Luna?"

"No," she smiled. "Ron is lovely, but I really don't think it would have lasted and then what would have happened to our friendship? The three of us, I mean. I'm just concentrating on my work for now."

Harry watched as Hermione bent her head over her book. He wondered how true that statement was. Hermione had always been a conscientious worker, a prodigious reader and a mine of information. But lately Harry and Ron had noticed her attention slipping. A number of times he had happened to glance up at her during a lesson to see her gazing out of the window or looking trance-like at a space a few feet in front of her. Ron had pointed out that she was doodling a lot, something the old Hermione had never done. And she was definitely not eating as well as she used to.

Ginny and Neville returned to the Common Room first, giggling. It seemed clear they'd had a good time.

"Ron's just seeing Luna back to her Common Room," said Ginny as they came and sat by Harry.

"Have a Goyle's Bum," said Neville, plonking a bag of sweets on the table in front of Harry.

He and Ginny burst out laughing.

"A what?" laughed Harry, peering into the bag.

"Gobstoppers," explained Ginny. "We'd just bought them at Honeydukes and Neville went to say they made you look as if you had a gum boil, but he said 'bum goyle' by mistake, so they've now been officially renamed 'Goyle's Bum'."

"You've had a good time, then?" said Harry, grinning as they both continued laughing together.

Ron came through the portrait hole, frowning.

"That was hard work," he said, helping himself to a sweet. "Luna wants to show me her collection of 'loofypeg bird feathers' or something, which worried me a bit. Where's Hermione?"

"She went to have a rest before dinner. She said she was tired."

"I expect she is," said Ginny. "I don't think she's sleeping. Have you noticed the black rings under her eyes? And Parvati says she hears Hermione get up a lot in the night and come down here."

Ron and Harry exchanged glances.

"She's probably worried about homework or something," said Ron.

"Hmmmm," said Ginny, thoughtfully.

* * *

Nothing much out of the ordinary happened in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Ron seemed to be consumed with Quidditch. If they weren't practicing with the team he was asking Harry to practice with him or he would go out on his own, in all weathers. It seemed to Harry that Ron was out to prove something, either to himself or someone else.

Hermione immersed herself in her work. She seemed to be having problems with her lessons, particularly Ancient Runes, where she seemed constantly to be pouring over text books; and the extra lessons with Snape. It was unlike Hermione to take so long to learn something and Harry, from his own experiences during Occlumency lessons, became worried that Snape was giving her a hard time. Several times he noticed that when she arrived at dinner, after a lesson with Snape, the whites of her eyes would have a pink tinge and her eyelashes were matted as though she'd been crying.

Neville spent his spare time helping Ginny revise for her OWLS. They seemed to laugh a lot together. Harry had never seen Neville so happy.

The only time his happiness wavered was during Defence Against the Dark Arts classes.  
These lessons had now moved from the Prefects bathroom to the dungeons and Neville told Harry that just the smell of the place gave him the shakes.

Ron had been right. Snape was worse than ever. He was like a whip cracking over their heads, constantly stinging them. He prowled the classroom, looming over his chosen victim as he asked them questions.

"Weasley - what is the most dangerous ability of the Trident White-Light?"

"Erm... Erm..."

"Five points from Gryffindor, unless Miss Granger can retrieve them for you." He snapped his fingers and pointed to Hermione, without even looking in her direction.

"It can change ones perception of the North Star, making ocean navigation almost impossible, Sir." she said.

"Malfoy - go to the front of the class and demonstrate how you would block an attack from a Reefcoot."

Confident of approval from his Head of House, Malfoy strutted to the front and did as instructed. He performed a complicated wave of his wand which sent a spell flying out of control across the room, shattering the plaster head of Neptune which stood on a shelf.

"Five points from Slytherin for being an absolute buffoon. _Sit down!"_

"Longbottom -"

Neville jumped and sent his books clattering to the ground. Snape advanced on him.

"Name two river-dwelling insects whose bite can cause paralysis in humans."  
"Er...a Creebilly and..."

"There is _no such creature_!" Snape leaned on the desk, his face close to Neville's. "Five points from Gryffindor and a further five for your clumsiness. _Pick up your books_!"

Snape turned and swept the class with a look that chilled the room.

"Do we have to ask Miss Granger to beFairy Godmother again, or do you think you can all manage to read Chapter Eight and digest the knowledge for yourselves?"

There was a frantic scrabble at the text books for Chapter Eight. Snape stalked, like a sinister shadow, between the rows of silent, reading students.

Harry didn't see why it happened, but Hermione suddenly gave a shudder and somehow managed to knock her bottle of ink off the desk just as Snape was approaching. It fell to the ground with a 'chink', just inches from Snape's feet. He stopped dead and gave Hermione a scalding glare as a puddle of ink quickly oozed across the floor towards his shoes.

Hermione visibly wilted into her chair, shaking. The whole class watched and held its breath.

"I trust you know how to clear that up, Miss Granger," he hissed, stepping over the puddle and walking on.

"Homework. I want a page each on thethree most dangerous water spirits and creatures. _In addition,_ those of you who failed to answer questions today will also write two pages on the subject in which you showed your ignorance. Class dismissed."

* * *

Christmas arrived.

On the last day of lessons the whole school met for dinner in the Great hall for the last time before catching the train home the following morning. There was a great deal of noise as people exchanged presents and hugs.

"I can't believe she's had an extra lesson on the last day," said Ron as he watched Hermione enter the hall late and make her way to the table.

Harry was relieved to see there were no signs of tears in her eyes this evening. Her cheeks were flushed from rushing to the hall and she gave everyone a broad smile as she sat.

Hermione was having to stay at school over the holidays, which she didn't mind because there were so many of them staying. Harry was, of course; Neville was staying because his grandmother was visiting her sister and once Ginny found out Neville was staying, she decided to stay as well. Then Ron, who had planned to go home, announced he was staying.

("I don't trust Neville," he had said to Harry earlier. "I just want to keep an eye on him and Ginny, that's all.")

"We're really going to have fun," said Ginny, pouring gravy over her dinner. "With all of us spending Christmas together."

"Just so long as we stay in a group," said Ron with a meaningful look at her and Neville.

"Don't worry big brother," laughed Ginny. "Hermione will be my chaperone, won't you, Hermione? Hermione?"

Hermione was sitting with her bag still on her lap, which she hugged to her as if it contained gold. The other hand was twirling a fork in a pile of noodles but not actually picking any up. She was gazing trance-like in the direction of her goblet.

"Hmmmm?" she said in a dreamy voice and then seemed to realise where she was. "Oh, sorry, I was miles away," she smiled at Ginny.

A frown crossed Ginny's face for a second and her eyes flickered to Hermione's bag, but then she grinned.

"I was just telling Ron that you'll be my chaperon over Christmas. Just in case Neville tries to climb up my Christmas stocking."

"GINNY!" said Ron, scandalised, while the others, including Hermione, burst into shocked laughter.

* * *

Christmas Morning:

"How come you like my mum's sweaters so much?" asked Ron, looking distastefully at his usual hand-knitted offering from Mrs. Weasley.

Harry, Ron and Neville were sitting on the floor of the dormitory opening their presents.

"Because," came Harry's muffled voice from somewhere inside a red sweater which had a picture of two Quidditch brooms crossed over the front. "Apart from my school uniform, they're the only things I have to wear that didn't once belong to Uncle Vernon or Dudley."

Present-buying had been a bit awkward this year, not being able to go to Hogsmeade; but one of the girls had left a copy of "_Spellbound"_ - a teen witch magazine - lying around the Common Room. Harry, in an idle moment, had flipped through it and found a gift-ordering section at the back.

He had ordered Ron a Quidditch League Table chart and Hermione a perpetual notebook (_'Never run out of parchment again!')._ As Neville was around this Christmas, Harry had bought him a present as well; a mirror which helped you search for something that was lost. Harry had thought it a brilliant idea for Neville's present. Unfortunately, so had everyone else and Neville had ended up with three mirrors.

Ron had bought everyone sweets or chocolate, except Hermione.

"I got her some replacement ink. She doesn't seem to eat sweets anymore."

"Ginny doesn't either," said Neville, and Ron's eyes narrowed at him. "She says it gives her spots."

"Hey, I've got a present from Fred and George," yelled Ron in surprise. "Must be because they're earning their own money now."

Ron began tearing at the wrapping paper.

"Er...Ron..." warned Harry but, too late.

As Ron removed the last of the wrapping, the lid of the box blasted away and Ron disappeared behind an explosion of white. A cloud floated to the ceiling and it began to snow.

In the dormitory.

Harry and Neville looked at Ron, who still sat on the floor completely covered in snow. In front of him was the now lidless box which read _"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes - Winter in a Box"._

Ron looked for all the world like a surprised snowman. They sat there, stunned for a moment, with snow falling from the ceiling, and then all three burst out laughing.

* * *

As in their third year there were so few students staying at school over the Christmas holiday that Dumbledore had ordered just one long table to be set up for Christmas lunch.

Unfortunately, _unlike_ their third year, Harry's sixth-year group found themselves now at the staff end of the table. As there were no seventh- year students staying, there were no 'buffers' between themselves and the staff.

Hermione, Ginny and Neville sat opposite Harry and Ron. Both Harry and Hermione had automatically left an empty chair between themselves and the staff. There was a third empty chair on the other side of Ron. Harry was just about to ask Ron to move down so there could be two empty seats between himself and Snape, when...

"Hi, Ginny."

Everyone looked up to see a rather pretty, rather petite blonde girl standing by the empty chair next to Ron.

"I'm kind of on my own. All the fifth-year Hufflepuffs have gone home. Would you mind if I sat with you?"

"Of course not," smiled Ginny. "Come and sit next to me. Neville won't mind."

Neville went to stand up.

"Oh, no, don't move because of me. I can sit here." she pulled out the chair and sat, rather gracefully, next to Ron.

"Everyone, this is Ronnie," said Ginny.

"Ronnie!" said everyone together.

"It's Veronica," laughed the girl. "Veronica Honeyduke, but everyone calls me Ronnie."

"Honeyduke?" said Ron. "The same as the sweet shop in Hogsmeade?"

"They're my grandparents," she said, giving Ron a dazzling smile. "You're Ron Weasley, aren't you? I guess we have something in common - our names, I mean."

"Oh, yeah. My name's Ron, too," he said unnecessarily.

"You're in the Gryffindor team, aren't you?" she said, looking coyly from under a lock of golden hair. "I see you practise nearly every evening. You must be very fit."

"Well, yeah, I suppose I am quite fit..." Ron turned his back on Harry, giving Ronnie his full attention. The others exchanged looks and stifled their laughter.

They were waiting for Dumbledore to arrive before they could begin the meal. Harry wished he would hurry up. There was only one chair between him and Snape and the quicker it was filled, the better.

Then the door opened and Dumbledore arrived arm in arm with a very apprehensive-looking Professor Trelawney. She was dressed in her usual flowing robes - this time of varying shades of purple.

"I have persuaded Professor Trelawney to join us," beamed Dumbledore. "Please take a seat, Sybill."

Professor Trelawney inclined her head towards Dumbledore, turned to the table and hesitated. Her huge magnified eyes flickered in distaste between Hermione and Professor McGonegall who sat either side of the nearest empty chair. Then she glanced across the table and saw the only other option was sitting between Snape and Harry. She looked like a cornered rabbit having to decide whether it would be better to run towards the fox or the ferret.

"Perhaps, Sybill, you would care to sit over there between Severus and Harry. A rose between two thorns," he twinkled. "I shall sit here - a thorn between two roses." He beamed at both Hermione and Professor McGonegall. "Now, without further ado," he clapped his hands and platters of food appeared. "Tuck in!"

It was an awkward meal. Ron spent a lot of time with his back to Harry, talking with Ronnie,  
("Yeah, bludgers can kill, but hey, that's a risk I have to take")

Ginny and Neville made an effort to speak to everyone at the table, but kept drifting off into their own private conversation.

That left Harry and Hermione. Hermione chatted and smiled a lot, but looked a bit tense.  
Dumbledore was much better at dinner talk than Professor Trelawney, who kept putting her fork down to rub the side of her head.

"Are you feeling unwell, Sybill?" asked Professor McGonegall from across the table.

"I can feel..." she began, and then looked at Professor McGonegall and seemed to think better of it. "It's nothing, thank you, Minerva," she said. "I have a slight headache, that's all."

She took a few more mouthfulls of dinner before putting down her fork again.

She put her fingers to her temples and began rubbing in a circular movement.

"Sybill, are you sure there's nothing wrong?" asked a concerned Dumbledore.

"I...I...there's something...the atmosphere...it's quite claustrophobic, don't you think?"

"No," said Professor McGonegall through thin lips. "We don't."

Professor Trelawney's huge eyes swept up and down the table and came to rest on Hermione.

"My dear!" she exclaimed, putting her hand to the rows of beads around her throat. "You are positively radiating an energy! I can feel it emanating from your aura and charging its way across the table, unbalancing my chakra. I can't quite...it's fogging my vision..." She put her hand to her forehead.

Hermione was looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Perhaps a sip of water...?"

Professor Trelawney gave a startled cry at Snape's voice, almost as if he'd crept up behind her, instead of having sat next to her throughout the meal. She stared at him and then at the goblet he pushed in front of her, as though it might contain poison.

"I..thank you, but no," she said, rising unsteadily from the table and backing away slowly, as if from a wild lion. "I shall return to my quarters and rest."

"I'll come with you, Sybill. Make sure you get there without mishap," said Professor McGonegall, beginning to rise.

"No...please don't trouble yourself, Minerva," she said, walking carefully around the table and stopping behind Hermione. She placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Perhaps Miss Granger, my dear, you would be so kind as to walk with me...?"

Hermione's eyes widened as she stared straight ahead at Harry. Harry could almost see 'help me' written over her face.

Harry could only shrug and watch as Hermione walked Trelawney to the door.

* * *

"Harry, we're going for a walk around the lake. You coming?"

Harry looked at Ron who was arm in arm with Ronnie, and then at Neville, who was arm in arm with Ginny.

"Nah - I think I'll go and see if Hermione's back."

He walked up the main staircase. It was very rare to feel the school so empty and quiet. Even the people in the portraits seemed to be sleeping off their Christmas feast.

Hermione wasn't back in the Common Room - Harry met her at the end of the corridor that led to the portrait hole.

"Have you only just come back from Trelawney?" asked Harry, astonished. They had eaten their puddings, pulled Christmas crackers and had a round of carols in the time since Hermione and Trelawney had left the Hall.

"Yes. I couldn't get away. Gosh, she can talk!"

"What's she been saying all this time?" said Harry, amazed that Hermione would put up with Trelawney's ramblings for this long.

"Oh, the usual rubbish. She's out with the fairies, that one," said Hermione, airily. "You know what she's like..."

There was a sudden chilling '_WHOOSH_' and a gossamer form began bouncing in front of them.

"A load of rubbish, is it?" said the sly voice of Peeves the poltergeist. "She guessed your little secret, didn't she?"

"What!" said Hermione, dangerously.

"Oh, it's easy to overhear things when the school is so empty," he said gleefully. "Been having a little chat with the mad Professor, haven't we?"

"Come on, Harry. Just ignore him." She walked up to the Fat Lady. "Plum Pudding."

The portrait swung open and they both went into the Common Room. The hole closed behind them. Peeves stuck his head through the wall.

"She was right this time, wasn't she? Oh, deny it if you want, but she felt the vibraaaaations. Ohhhh, such a dark secret we've got, haven't we?" he cackled.

Hermione drew out her wand and advanced slowly towards Peeves.

"Now listen to me you utter waste of ectoplasm," she commanded, pointing her wand at him. "I happen to know a rather nasty spell to imprison you in a bottle for a thousand years. It's restricted, but I'm willing to take the risk if I hear another word about my conversation with Professor Trelawney. Do I make myself clear?"

Peeves actually went cross-eyed looking at the wand pointing just in front of his nose. Harry had only seen him look this frightened when threatened with Filch. Without another sound, Peeves' head slowly disappeared through the wall.

Harry stood still, completely shocked.

"_What?"_ snapped Hermione, putting her wand away.

"N...nothing," he stammered, absent-mindedly rubbing his head.

Hermione walked past him and sat down in her favourite armchair by the fire, staring into the flames.

Harry sank into a chair opposite her. He picked up a copy of "Spellbound" and pretended to read, but he was really studying Hermione over the top of the page.

She looked quite normal now, but when Hermione had advanced on Peeves, Harry had noticed a certain look in her eye. He had seen it before in other people. He recognised it as the glittering malice that was present in the eyes of Snape; and Lucius Malfoy; and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry shivered and wished the others would come back soon.

Ginny and Neville returned first, bringing the Christmas spirit with them.

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

"Don't know," said Ginny with a grin. "They were right behind us when we came into the school. Perhaps Ron's seeing Ronnie back to her Common Room. Oooh, _'Spellbound' -_ let's have a look at the problem page..." She took the magazine from Harry's lap and began to flick through.

"It's really cold outside," said Neville, rubbing his hands together in front of the fire. "Bet it's going to snow tonight."

"It's already snowing in our dormitory," Harry reminded him.

Ginny read aloud some of the letters in the problem page, then got quite enthusiastic about a recipe for a love potion.

"They're banned at school," Hermione reminded her.

"Oh..a quiz. _"Is Your Guy a Wizard or a Troll?"_

"I don't think you should do that..." said Neville, nervously.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun. Hermione, answer 'yes' or 'no' to the following questions..."

"I haven't got a _'guy'_." said Hermione, disdainfully.

Harry couldn't bear much more of this.

"I'm going for a walk," he told the others and headed for the portrait hole.

_"Would he give you his best Quidditch scarf to keep you warm..?"_ said Ginny's voice before it was cut off by the portrait swinging back into place.

Harry walked along the silent corridor. He didn't know where he was going. He just needed to get away from the others and think.

Harry saw Ron wandering down one of the corridors, but Ron didn't see Harry until he almost bumped into him.

"Oh hi, Harry," he said. He had a stupid grin all over his face. "Just saw Ronnie back to Hufflepuff's."

"I need to speak to you - in private." Harry turned Ron around and began leading him back the way he'd come.

"School's practically empty, Harry. Not likely to be overheard."

"Peeves could be listening," Harry told him.

"Where can we go then?"

"To the Room of Requirements. It'll be soundproof and ghost-proof."

"The Room of Requirements," said Ron, in a dreamy voice. "I've just been in there. Fantastic little room, isn't it?"

"Yeah, great," said Harry flatly.

"So what's the big secret?" asked Ron as Harry closed the door.

Harry told Ron about the Peeves incident.

"Aww, she just got angry, that's all. You've seen the way her eyes can flash when she's mad." said Ron.

"This was different. I've seen this look. It's stared at me through the slits in a Death Eater's mask."

"So what are you saying, that Hermione's become a Death Eater?" said Ron, scornfully.

"No...I mean, I don't know," said Harry, confused. "Dumbledore said no when I asked him..." then Harry stopped. "Actually, no he didn't. He said something like 'did I really think she would, just because of the Mark?'"

"And the answer is 'no'. There is _no way_ Hermione would go over to the Dark side. NO WAY, Harry."

"Yes, but suppose it _wasn't_ just because of the Mark? Suppose she was being influenced by someone?"

"You mean Snape?"

"Think about it, Ron. She's taking a long time to learn how to resist the call, don't you think? You'd have expected Hermione to have it sussed by now. And she's often upset after she's had one of her extra lessons..."

"Yeah, but she'd report him to Dumbledore. She wouldn't go along with it."

"He's a Legilimens, Ron. He can get into people's minds. Suppose that's not all he can do? Suppose he can control thoughts as well, or..or hypnotize her, or something?"

They both chewed this over for a little while.

"What'll we do?" said Ron.

"I don't know. Hermione would deny it. Dumbledore..?"

"Don't fancy running to Dumbledore and saying Hermione's got a funny look in her eye. I reckon we keep a close watch on her for a while. It could be nothing. It could be that she's just uptight about the scar and everything."

Harry couldn't suggest a better plan, so that's what they agreed to do.

* * *

**Emma Barrows** - Thanks for reviewing, Emma.

**Thouandl **- I'm glad I can surprise sometimes! I always find Ron difficult to write. I so hope he and Hermione don't get together in canon. I believe JKR has hinted that they don't. Although I can't think she plans to put her with Severus, either (that would be such a shock, wouldn't it!)

**Queen of the Faeries1** - That's a good story. Thanks for taking so much trouble to review. Christmas Carol is planned for Ashwinder next Christmas - with much needed corrections (I blush with embarrassment if ever I go to look at the text - the spelling!) and perhaps a few enhancements. As for Snape - well, I'm glowing. I would hate to think I'd taken him out of character. I'm just praying JKR doesn't have any nasty surprises concerning our Sev which will make all us Hermione/Snape shippers feel guilty for ever pairing her with the bastard! (could he really be a double agent for Voldi? He's much better at Occlumancy than Dumbledore is at Legilimens; and Albus may be working on the 'keep your enemies closer' adage.) Guess we'll find out soon enough.

**FemmeLoki **- When I say 'smooth hair' I don't mean Rachel from Friends smooth - just that it's been tamed a bit. Hermione withMuggle hair-straighteners? Hmmm. A one-shot, perhaps!

**Lydia** - I'm glad you liked Ron. I don't seem to be able to write him as anything but a constantly grazing pillock, and there's more to him than that. Five points to me? Ican imagine those emeralds falling into the jar already.


	11. The Call

Damn the bombers, here's the next chapter. Love to all. Severusgirl.

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**THE CALL**

"You will have to speak up, Miss Brown, you're sitting on my bad side."

Professor McGonagall turned her good ear in Lavender's direction.

The ear that had been ripped by Lucius Malfoy had healed well. It looked more or less normal. However Professor McGonagall had lost some hearing ability in the ear and the left hand side of the class had to raise their voices to be heard.

"I was wondering, Professor, whether you can choose which animal to be when you become an Animagi?"

"An interesting question, Miss Brown, and a somewhat debatable subject." Professor McGonagall answered. "Some would say 'yes' and argue that they did, indeed, choose the animal. I myself - and I'm not alone in this - believe there are certain animal traits within each of us which dictate the kind of animal we become - _if_ one becomes an Animagi."

They were having a surprisingly relaxed Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall clearly relished answering their questions on Animagi.

"Well, we all know Malfoy would be a ferret!" whispered Ron, quite loudly.

There were sniggers from those around him. Malfoy was not in the class - he had, unsurprisingly, dropped Transfiguration this term.

"Now, now, Mr. Weasley," scolded Professor McGonagall, but Harry noticed the corner of her mouth twitch in amusement.

"Yes, Miss Brown?"

"I think I'd like to be a cat," said Lavender, blushing.

"A very useful transfiguration. Miss Patil?"

As they went around the class, it was clear that most of the girls wanted to be cute, fluffy animals, instead of anything that might be useful.

"Mr. Longbottom?"

"Um...a chimpanzee."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Well, I always seem to be getting stuck in high up places," said Neville. "I thought it would be useful to be able to swing down."

"Mr. Potter?"

"A dog," said Harry, without thinking.

"Mmmm," said Professor McGonagall, as though she'd expected as much. "Miss Granger?"

"Oh...I don't know..." she waved her hand as though plucking an idea out of thin air. "Perhaps...a bat?"

There was a moments silence.

"A _bat,_ Miss Granger? Whatever made you choose a bat?"

"Well, they fly at very fast speeds while avoiding objects at the last moment. They're supposed to be quite intelligent - I think it would be a useful animal to be."

Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a searching look before continuing around the class.

* * *

One of the advantages of Professor Polykett going was that Professor Dumbledore now taught some of the Potions classes.

His presence lit up the dark and dank chambers of the Potions Room and the lessons were so much more enjoyable. Harry found the potions much easier to brew when there was no unfriendly presence breathing down his neck.

Harry peered at his text book to find out whether the crushed stag beetle went in before or after the powdered hawthorns when, without warning, his scar suddenly flared with pain.  
He couldn't help but gasp, putting his hand to his forehead. The others around him turned to look. Professor Dumbledore came over.

"Sit down, Harry," he said, guiding him backwards to his chair.

Harry sat, feeling very embarrassed with everyone around him looking.

"I'm OK." he said. "Just a sudden headache. It's easing off now." He was telling the truth, the pain was going as quickly as it had arrived.

Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment, obviously satisfying his own mind that Harry was OK.

"Very well," he said. "Carry on, every..."

_"PROFESSOR!"_

Ron's voice echoed around the Potions Room and Harry looked up just in time to see Ron catch Hermione as her legs buckled beneath her.

With a swish of robes, Dumbledore was there, helping Hermione into a chair.

Hermione rocked backwards and forwards in her seat, clutching her hand. Dumbledore tried to prise her fingers away but she snatched them from him, crying. Then Dumbledore put his hands on her shoulders.

"Miss Granger. Miss Granger."

Hermione didn't seem to hear him. She curled up over her hands as though trying to protect them. Harry could hear her gasping and crying with pain.

The rest of the class stood around helpless. Everyone, including the Slytherins, had shocked looks on their faces.

Dumbledore tried to lift Hermione's chin, but failed. He crouched down in front of her and began whispering something.

Hermione stood up and, breaking away from Dumbledore began pacing the room, putting her palms to each wall she came to. It was as though she wanted to find a way out. Each group of people she approached, parted to let her through. Hermione didn't seem to see any of them.

"Miss Bones, would you go and fetch Madam Pomfrey," said Dumbledore, not taking his eyes off Hermione. "Mr. Malfoy, please would you go and fetch Professor Sna..."

Dumbledore's sentence was cut short by startled cries from a few people standing nearest the door as it sprang open and Snape entered the room.

Sweeping the room with a glance, he went directly to Dumbledore, who was trying to manoeuvre Hermione into a chair. Ron held the chair steady behind her as the backs of her legs hit it, forcing her to sit.

"Severus...is it...?"

"Yes."

Harry realised that he and Ron were the only students in the room to understand what was being said.

Voldemort was summoning his Death Eaters.

Snape did the same as Dumbledore had done and put his hands on Hermione's shoulders.

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger...focus your mind...bring it away from the pain..."

But Hermione struggled to get up. Snape took a firmer grip and began shaking her shoulders.  
"Miss Granger! MISS GRANGER!" Snape raised his right hand and brought it down across Hermione's face with a smack.

Some of the girls screamed.

"_HEY!"_ cried Harry and Ron together as they both took a leap towards Snape. Harry believed they would have attacked Snape had it been anyone but Dumbledore who stepped in their way. He held up his hands, forcing them to stop.

Harry glanced at Ron. Ron's face was red with indignation and he guessed his own must look the same. Harry slowly uncurled his fingers from around his wand. How could Dumbledore stand by and watch Snape hit Hermione? Or any student?

Hermione had given a cry and then gone silent. She began to calm down and stopped struggling. Her head bobbed around a little as though it was too heavy for her to hold up. She was sobbing.

Dumbledore was standing behind Snape as Snape crouched before Hermione.

"Focus...Focus.." Snape demanded, shaking her by the shoulders again. Hermione seemed to gain more control over her head. Snape stopped shaking her and she became quite still. He took her jaw in his hand and forced her head round to face him.

Harry watched Snape's eyes narrow as he finally made eye-contact with Hermione. His mouth was moving in a whisper.

_He's inside her head,_ thought Harry, feeling very disturbed. _We were right. He IS controlling her mind._ But as this thought hit Harry, Snape suddenly recoiled from Hermione and stood up, a shocked, almost frightened look on his face.

Dumbledore gave Snape a quick glance before kneeling beside Hermione.

"Wha...wha...?" she stuttered.

"You came over unwell, Miss Granger," he told her, gently. "Madam Pomfrey is here to take you to the Hospital Wing."

Madam Pomfrey had entered the room and went over to help Hermione to her feet.

"What! But I'll miss Charms!"

Dumbledore smiled.

"It's merely to ensure you are fully recovered. Please go, just to be sure."

Madam Pomfrey and Ron helped guide Hermione out of the door.

"The rest of you, please proceed to your next lesson. I'm sure Miss Granger will be joining you in Charms very shortly. Harry..."

Harry stopped and let the others leave the room. Dumbledore ensured the door was fully closed before saying,

"Harry, I have to ask - when your scar hurt - did you get any idea why the Death Eaters are being summoned?"

Harry glanced at Snape - he was rubbing his left arm.

"No, not really," said Harry, trying to think back. But then suddenly a thought hit him. It hit him so hard that he had no doubt it was true. "He knows about Hermione!" he almost shouted. "He knows about the Dark Mark!"

"How could he possibly know? Unless through_ you_!" spat Snape, his eyes boring into Harry's.

"I don't know how he knows," Harry snapped back. "But it wasn't through _me_. I haven't had any dreams, or anything, and I've been clearing my mind before I go to sleep."

Snape's face told Harry he didn't believe him.

"You're the expert," Harry shouted at him. "Why don't _you_ tell us how Voldemort could know?"

Dumbledore held up his hands.

"I think that will DO!" he said. "Harry, if you are feeling quite well, I suggest you continue with your lessons." He turned to Snape. "Severus, we appear to have an unexpected problem. I think we need to talk..."

* * *

When Hermione had come out of hospital the first time, after the attack in Caverna Caeli, she had been given a glove to wear on her injured hand. No one could erase the Dark Mark, but Professor Flitwick had charmed the glove so that, although people noticed it, it never occurred to them to ask why she wore it. This is how the Dark Mark on Hermione's hand had remained a secret from the entire school, apart from Harry, Ron, Colin and the staff.

After the incident in the Potions Room, however, rumours inevitably spread. Some had innocent reasons for Hermione's 'funny turn' (female problems), some were quite ludicrous (her brain was too crowded with knowledge), but a few were dangerously near the truth.

Hermione seemed to have up and down days about it. Some days she would shrug it off and go to lessons full of self-assurance and with a 'damn them all' attitude. On other days, the strain was pretty obvious and she became very quiet and withdrawn.

On the evening before their next Hogsmeade trip, they had completed their homework and sat around the table talking.

"Can you bring me back a new quill," asked Hermione, taking out some coins from her bag. "And some cheesy cat-treats for Crookshanks."

"OK," said Harry, who had been very surprised to have been granted permission to go out this time. "I'll go and put the money in my bag now, so I don't forget."

As Harry took the money, Hermione held on to his hand.

"You will be careful tomorrow, won't you?" she said.

"Yeah, of course - what do you mean?"

"I mean, be on your guard. I've got a strange feeling...it's probably nothing but...just be extra careful, hmmm?"

"Hermione, your begining to sound like Trelawney!" Ron snorted.

"Come on, Ron, if you _must_ do some Quidditch practice _again!"_ said Harry, before an argument could develop.

Harry had been persuaded for a second evening running, to go out on the Quidditch pitch. Ron's enthusiasm had reached a new level now that Ronnie needed to be impressed.

Ron and Harry went up to the dormitory to get their things. Harry opened his trunk and went cold.

"My Firebolt's gone!"

Ron came over and looked in the trunk.

"Are you sure you put it in there? You didn't leave it in the changing rooms?"

"No. I always put it in my trunk, you know that. Someone's taken..."

Harry stopped talking as a small figure suddenly materialised on Harry's bed, with the Firebolt in his hands.

"DOBBY! What are you doing with my Firebolt?"

"I is cleaning it, Harry Potter, Sir. The weather has not been kind to Harry Potter's broom. Dobby has made it shine."

Harry put his hand out to take the now gleaming broom. He felt relieved and slightly annoyed with Dobby for giving him a fright like that. Still, he saw Dobby was obviously very pleased with himself.

"Well, thanks, Dobby. That's very kind of you, but please tell me the next time you take my broom, OK?"

The weather was foul. Cold, wet and windy. No one else was practicing. They were far too sensible.

Ron was a maniac. So over-enthusiastic, a couple of times Harry had to land with a roll on the ground as the quaffle came whizzing towards his head. By the time they had finished the practice, they were both soaking wet and caked in mud.

Harry drew out his wand,

"Even this is muddy and it was in my pocket."

Trudging back to the Castle, Ron said,

"I know a short cut. This way..."

Harry followed Ron around the side of the Castle, down some steps and through a heavy doorway.

"We're in the dungeons," said Harry.

"I know, but it's a short cut, I promise. Anyway I'd rather tread mud all over the Slytherin's floor than our own."

Harry followed Ron and they made their way down a very dark narrow corridor towards the main staircase. There were very few torches on the walls and every doorway became a looming black hole.

"I think I'd rather have gone the long way round, Ron," said Harry.

"Nah, this is much quicker."

"Going somewhere, Weasley?"

Out from one of the dark doorways on their right stepped Draco Malfoy.

Harry and Ron paused for just the tiniest moment before walking on, ignoring Malfoy.  
Crabbe and Goyle stepped out, barring their way.

"Been practicing, Weasley? Trying hard to impress your girlfriend? What's her name again? Never mind,_ we_ all know her as 'runny honey'."

Ron stepped towards Malfoy, but Harry held him back. Crabbe and Goyle were looking dangerous.

"Well done, Potter. Good dog!" Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle laughed. "Heard you want to follow in your godfather's paw prints and be a dog. I hope it's one of those tiny irritating ones - it would really suit you."

"Shut up and let us pass," said Harry.

"Funny the Mudblood chose to be a bat, isn't it?"

"Why should that bother you?" sneered Ron.

"Doesn't bother me," said Malfoy, airily. "It's just that bats are regarded by most people to be...shall we say...on the darker side of the animal kingdom."

Malfoy was leaning against the doorway, examining his fingernails as he spoke.

"What are you getting at, Malfoy?" said Harry.

"Just that it appears Granger may be having a change of heart. Choosing to be a bat; having the Dark Mark on her hand - don't bother denying it, I know it's there. Looks like 'You-Know-Who' is gaining a new recruit."

"You slimy little git. Hermione's too intelligent to follow anything the Malfoys were involved in," hissed Ron.

"Really? Then I wonder what she's doing, having extra lessons from Professor Snape? You don't _seriously_ believe he's teaching her to ignore the call, do you? Preparing her for initiation into the Death Eater's circle more like."

Both Harry and Ron flew at Malfoy, but Crabbe and Goyle grabbed their robes, restraining them.

"_You're scum, Malfoy,"_ shouted Ron, trying to release himself from Goyle's grip. "In fact, scum wipes _you_ off its shoes."

"You know what I don't understand?" shouted Harry, still trying to reach Malfoy. "Everyone knows the Malfoys are evil filth - why doesn't Dumbledore just kick you out of school?"

Draco gave a self-satisfied smirk and opened the door behind him.

"Let's just say, Potter," he said before he slipped through the doorway. "You're not the only one with a godfather."

* * *

"I'm sorry you can't come with us," said Ronnie to Hermione as they left the Great Hall after breakfast.

The Hogsmeade day had arrived and the entrance hall was buzzing with students eager to be let out for their day of freedom.

"I don't mind, really," said Hermione. "I've got some studying to do."

"Ancient Runes?" said Harry with a sympathetic smile.

"No, I did that last night," she said.

"Really?" said Harry, frowning. "I didn't notice. You usually have to spend a couple of hours pouring over your books."

"Oh, well, I seem to have got the hang of it now...ooh, Filch is letting you all out - bye, have a lovely time..."

"We're going to Honeydukes first, to see Ronnie's grandparents," called Ron as they were swept towards the doors in a wave of students. "Do you want anything?"

"No thanks," Hermione called back. "Have a good time."

Harry, Ron, Ronnie, Ginny and Neville made their way down into Hogsmeade. It had stopped raining but it was still cold enough to send vapour from their mouths every time they spoke.

As they walked down the hill, Harry and Ron slowed down and let the others go a little way ahead.

"I feel weird," said Ron.

"So do I," said Harry.

"Really? For the same reason as me?"

"Doubt it. My scar's been burning all morning. Didn't dare say anything, they wouldn't have let me out. Why do you feel weird?"

"Well...you know how much we hate Malfoy?"

"Yeah."

"And everything he stands for?"

"Ye-ah?"

"How come we agree with him?"

"About Hermione, you mean?" said Harry. "Yeah it's worrying that he's come to the same conclusion us - especially as his dad and Snape were mates - he must have a pretty good idea of what the Death Eaters get up to."

"Perhaps they get house points or something for bringing in a new recruit," said Ron.

"But as Hermione is always reminding us, Dumbledore trusts Snape."

"Well, you know my feelings about _that,"_ said Ron.

"And Bellatrix called him a traitor."

"She's been locked up in Azkaban for years, what would she know? She's not in her right mind."

"Dumbledore said he'd brought Snape back to the castle after the Death Eaters had tortured him. Why would he remain loyal to them after that?"

Ron thought for a moment,

"'Cause they were only after the gold for their own purposes. They thought 'You-Know-Who' was gone for good. Snape could hate the Death Eaters but still be working for 'You-Know-Who'."

"You reckon it's time we went to Dumbledore?"

"Yeah. Or maybe McGonegall first."

* * *

"Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie!" cried Mrs. Honeyduke, coming round the front of the counter and hugging her granddaughter. "Oh, you're looking bonnie - isn't she, Archie?"

Mr. Honeyduke smiled and waved at Ronnie, but was overwhelmed by customers.

"Och, it's the same every time the students come down to the village. I'll have t'go, but mind you look in on us before you go back to school."

"Gran...hang on... This is Ron." Ronnie pulled Ron closer and put her arm through his.

Mrs. Honeyduke looked at the linked arms and then smiled up at Ron.

"I'm very pleased t'meet you Ron. Mind yourself now. Our Ronnie's a headstrong lass. She always gets what she sets out to get - you've been warned."

"Gran!"

Mrs. Honeyduke gave them all a huge smile.

"You and your friends help yourselves - no charge. I'll see you later."

Ron looked as though his birthday and Christmas had arrived at the same time as he helped himself to a bag and began selecting sweets.

"Your Gran's a bit brilliant," said Ron afterwards as they all sat in the Three Broomsticks drinking Butterbeer.

"Yes, they're both lovely. I'm their only grandchild, so they spoil me a bit."

"Are you planning to take over the shop one day?" asked Ron.

"Oh, no," she smiled. "I'm going to be a Healer."

"You've made up your mind already?" replied Ron in astonishment.

"I've known since I was about five years old. _You_ must have an idea what you're going to do when you leave Hogwarts," she said. "you're taking your NEWTs next year."

"Yeah, well, I thought I'd try out for the English Quidditch team," replied Ron, casually. "and then I might be an Auror."

Harry and Ginny hid their smirks by taking sips of Butterbeer.

"So you're going to be a Healer?" Ron continued, leaning in closer to Ronnie. "Would you like to practice? Only I've got this ache in my..."

Ginny spluttered loudly into her glass, sending Butterbeer foam flying everywhere and making everyone but Ron laugh.

"What? WHAT?" he said, his bemused face sending them all into fits of giggles again.

* * *

"Where too next?" said Neville as they spilled out of The Three Broomsticks. "Hey, are you OK, Harry?"

Harry's scar had given a sudden surge of pain and he staggered a few paces.

"Yeah," he laughed. "Yeah, I'm OK. I think Ron must've slipped something in my drink!" He wanted no one but Ron to know about his scar playing up. He glanced at Ron who turned to the others,

"Well, I want to go to Zonko's," he said, loudly while Harry recovered. "They've got these joke bluebottle flies that really buzz around. I want to get one for Crookshanks - it cracks me up when he chases them."

"Are you sure you're OK?" asked Ronnie, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Harry stood up straight. The pain was going. "Don't forget we've got to get a quill and some cat snacks for Hermione," he said.

"Hermione eats cat snacks?" said Ronnie, frowning.

"For her _cat!"_ said Ron, laughing.

"Why don't we go up one side of the street and come back down the other?" suggested Ronnie.

It was hard work ignoring the shops on the other side of the street particularly as all the shops Harry and Ron wanted to visit seemed to be there.

Eventually they reached the top of the street. They were slightly higher up now and when they looked back down, they could see the other streets, crowded with students.

"Right let's start our way down," said Ron, rubbing his hands together.

"Ginny and I want to go in this shop," said Ronnie, pointing towards a very girlie-looking shop full of clothes and sparkly stuff.

The boys looked horrified.

"It's all right, we won't be long," laughed Ronnie, standing on tiptoes so that she could plant a kiss on Ron's cheek. She and Ginny disappeared inside the shop.

The girls _were_ a long time. It seemed to Harry they'd been waiting ages, and when they began stamping their feet to try and get some feeling back into them, Harry said,

"Neville, go and get them out. Tell them if they're going to be much longer, they can meet us in Zonko's."

Looking very embarrassed, Neville pushed open the door and went inside the shop.

"Right, well I'm not waiting any longer, anyway," said Ron. "Zonko's here we come."

There was a sudden commotion at the lower end of the street. Harry and Ron turned to look.

Crowds of Hogwarts students were scattering - some were giving startled cries and looking back down the street, towards the road that led to the school.

"What the..?" said Ron, taking out his wand.

Harry went to do the same.

His pocket was empty.

Frantically, he patted all over his robes.

"My wand! It's gone!" Harry felt a little knot of panic begin to tighten in his stomach. "Hermione told me to be careful," he said. "She had a funny feeling about today, remember?"

"And your scar's been hurting..."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron took a step closer to Harry so they were shoulder to shoulder. Holding his wand to protect them both, they started to walk down the hill.

Before they had gone two steps Harry saw the unmistakable figure of Hagrid striding backwards and forwards across the bottom of the street. Then the last of the students parted. A black-cloaked figure could be seen weaving in and out of the crowd. Then the figure stopped dead as it spotted them both.

_"POTTER!"_

It was Snape.

They watched as Snape began running up the hill towards them. It seemed to Harry that Snape's feet hardly touched the ground. He appeared to be moving at an impossible speed, and with his black cloak billowing out behind him, it gave the impression he was - flying.

Harry caught his breath as Snape reached them. Hardly slowing down, he almost collided with them.

Harry was now almost as tall as Snape, but at that moment Snape seemed to tower above him like a huge bird of prey. Harry felt seriously intimidated.

Snape grabbed hold of Harry's robes at the neck,

"Where's Miss Granger?" he demanded, his black eyes boring into Harry's.

"Wh...what?" stammered Harry, completely confused.

"Miss Granger._ Is-she-with-you_?" Snape still had hold of Harry, pulling his face close.

People were now gathering.

"She...she's back at school."

Snape thrust Harry from him and began looking frantically in all directions.

"What's going on?" It was Harry's turn to demand.

Snape turned to him.

"She's not in the school."

"_WHAT!"_ said Harry and Ron together.

"She has to be - she's not allowed out," said Ron.

But Snape wasn't listening. He suddenly lifted his head and began running back down the hill. Harry and Ron ran after him. They ran as fast as they could, but they were no match for Snape who seemed to skim across the ground and reached Hagrid long before they did.

Hagrid was talking in a low voice to Snape. Then Professor McGonegall came out of Honeydukes, followed by Ronnie's grandfather. Professor McGonegall's face was white.

"I believe this is yours, Mr. Potter." she said, holding out a wand.

"Yes," said Harry, taking it. "Where..?"

"In the cellar of Honeyduke's."

Snape made to go into the shop.

"We've searched, Severus. She isn't there," said Professor McGonegall.

Snape looked as though he had turned to stone. Hagrid gave a loud sob.

"Who?" asked Harry. "Hermione? Where is she?"

Professor McGonegall's eyes brimmed with tears.

"She's gone," she said, her voice trembling. "Gone to Lord Voldemort."

Harry's blood turned to ice.

He stood looking at Professor McGonegall for a long time not knowing what to say, do or think. It seemed he needed all his concentration just to breathe.

Hermione had gone?

To Voldemort?

It wasn't possible.

A blur with red hair barged past Harry. Ron's fist landed on Snape's jaw with a loud _'thwack'_.

Taken completely by surprise, Snape was sent staggering across the pavement and fell with a thud against the wall of Honeyduke's.

In one stride, Hagrid had grabbed hold of Ron's collar and lifted him up off the ground.

"What the 'ell d'yer think yer doin'?"

Ron thrashed around like a demented puppet. It might have been funny in different circumstances.

"IT'S HIM!" yelled Ron. "HE PLANNED THIS!"

Snape got to his feet. There was a large smear of blood over the right side of his mouth where his lip had split. Hair hung in disarray across Snape's face, but Harry could still see the rage in his eyes.

Snape drew out his wand and took a step towards Ron.

"Severus, _please_ - let the Headmaster deal with this..." Professor McGonegall looked genuinely frightened.

Snape ignored her. Professor McGonegall went to put a restraining hand on his arm, but Harry noticed she didn't actually touch him.

Stepping up close to Ron, Snape pointed his wand at Ron's face, his whole body rigid with fury.

"Hagrid..." cried Professor McGonegall, desperately.

Hagrid lowered Ron to the ground and stepped between him and Snape.

"Don't reckon you'll be wantin' to do anything, Professor. Not with all these folk watchin'."

Snape glared at the little bit of Ron he could see behind Hagrid's massive frame before lowering his wand.

"I suggest we return to the Headmaster's office," said Professor McGonegall with a sigh of relief.

Hagrid did not let go of Ron's collar for the whole, silent journey back to the school.

Harry had time to think while they walked back to the Castle.

It must be a mistake. It _had_ to be a mistake. They would get back to the school and be greeted by Dumbledore who would tell them Hermione had been found in a forgotten section of the library. Or she'd been down in the kitchens with the house-elves, doing some research for SPEW all along.

But when they entered the office and Harry saw the expression on Dumbledore's face, he realised there was no mistake. Hermione really had gone.

Dumbledore remained silent while all five of them filed in. His eyes flickered with the merest trace of surprise at Snape's now swollen lip and the restraining hand of Hagrid on Ron's collar.  
There were enough chairs for all of them to sit, but no one did.

"The Muggle Prime Minister has been informed," said Dumbledore promptly. "We must remember that Miss Granger is Muggle-born. We cannot expect her parents to leave everything in the hands of a world of which they know very little. They are, understandably, distraught."

Dumbledore's eyes had lost their usual twinkle. he looked very tired and, Harry thought, a little lost.

"Have we no idea where he has taken her, Albus?" asked Professor McGonegall, with a sideways glance at Snape.

"The last reports were that he was somewhere on the outskirts of London - more than that we do not know," said Dumbledore.

"But how could she have gone?" said Harry. "We haven't been taught how to apparate yet."

Dumbledore gave a flicker of a smile.

"Six years of Miss Granger's company should answer that question, Harry. Do you really think she would have entered her first lesson unprepared?"

"But what was she doing out of school? Hermione doesn't break rules," said Harry.

"She realised you had gone to Hogsmeade without your wand."

Harry was horrified.

"So it's my fault. If I hadn't forgotten my wand..."

Dumbledore held up his hand.

"It is not your fault Harry. An unfortunate set of circumstances. Apparently you and Mr. Weasley were practicing Quidditch yesterday evening and your wand became rather dirty. Dobby the house-elf took it to clean, but did not return it to you before you left for Hogsmeade. Miss Granger took it from him and, using the secret passage that leads to Honeyduke's sweet shop..." (Harry and Ron exchanged glances)..."Thought she would find you there."

"We told her we were going there first," said Ron, quietly.

"Wait a minute," said Harry. "Are you saying that the moment Hermione stepped outside the school, Voldemort pounced? It's too much of a coincidence, isn't it? It sounds like someone was watching her."

"Or controlling her!" Ron glared at Snape.

"Mr. Weasley, hold your tongue. I think you are in enough trouble already," warned Professor McGonegall.

Dumbledore looked from Ron to Snape and then back again.

"Mr. Weasley, am I to understand you are responsible for..?"

"Yes I am!" said Ron, defiantly. "And I'd do it again. This is all _his_ fault. _He_ sent her to Voldemort."

It was the first time Harry had ever heard Ron use the name. Ron was wriggling towards Snape as he said it. Hagrid took a firmer hold of Ron's collar.

"Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore, quietly. "These are very grave accusations. I would advise you to remain silent..."

"On the contrary, I think we should hear what Weasley has to say," said Snape, silkily.

Dumbledore looked as though he didn't think that was a good idea, but said,

"Very well, Mr. Weasley, please enlighten us."

"She's been having extra lessons with him," said Ron. "He's not been using those lessons to teach her to resist - he's been brainwashing her. He _sent_ her to Voldemort. And we're not the only ones who think that."

"And what has brought you to this assumption?" asked Dumbledore.

"Hermione's been acting weird," said Harry. He wasn't going to stand by and let Ron get all the blame for something they both suspected. "She's been crying after her extra lessons with Sna...Professor Snape. She's not been paying attention in class..."

"_And,"_ interrupted Ron. "she's got that thing round her neck."

Harry looked across at Ron. What was he on about? What thing? Ron saw Harry looking.

"Sorry, Harry. She made me promise not to tell anyone; but now she's gone, I have to...she had that thing on a chain around her neck - you know, the Scribe's Crystal. The one that belonged to Snape. I caught her using it the other night to do her Ancient Runes homework. It's obvious he gave it to her so that Voldemort would know when she was out of school; it must be some kind of spyglass or something..."

"MR. WEASLEY!" said Dumbledore, loudly. "When you have quite finished... Firstly, I must inform you that I am fully aware Miss Granger is in possession of the Scribe's Crystal, and I promise you the reason she has it has no relevance to the current situation."

Ron's mouth fell open.

"Secondly," Dumbledore continued with a rather stern expression on his face. "It may interest you both to know that I have been sitting in on Miss Granger's lessons - at Professor Snape's request - and I can assure you she has received nothing but the utmost help and detailed instruction on how to deal with the call."

"So how come she's gone then?" demanded Ron.

There was a brief silence.

"Mr. Weasley, I do understand how distressed you are over Miss Granger's disappearance," said Dumbledore. "We all feel the same. However, that does not give you an excuse to attack a member of my staff..."

"But..."

"AND I must remind you that an assault such as this requires your instant dismissal from this school. However..."

"Headmaster!" Snape cut in. "You cannot mean to allow this boy to remain at the school? I will _not_ stand by and permit you to waive the rules once again for Potter and his friends. I demand that you act through the proper channels."

Dumbledore turned to look Snape eye to eye.

"Severus, surely I do not have to remind you of the many times I have 'waived' the rules in your favour? That, had it not been for the fact the boy is your godchild, I would have removed Mr. Malfoy from this school long ago. I ask you now to return the favour and not pursue this action."

Snape looked as though he had a nasty taste in his mouth.

"Very well," he spat. "It seems I have no choice. However, if I cannot have him expelled from the school, I _will_ expel him from my classes. I refuse to teach him anymore."

Dumbledore nodded slowly.

Hagrid gave a low, rumbly cough.

"'er, sorry t'interupt, Professor Dumbledore, but...'Ermione?"

"Yes, of course. I must go to the Ministry." Dumbledore moved towards the door but stopped in front of Harry and Ron. "I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to bring Miss Granger back safely to this school."


	12. The Search For Hermione

Thank you everyone who's reading. Hope you are enjoying the story. Just two chapters to go. lol, Severusgirl

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**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**THE SEARCH FOR HERMIONE**

The hours and days ticked by and still Hermione was missing. Dumbledore had asked the various heads of houses to explain to their charges what had happened and to give a basic assurance that everything possible was being done to find her.

The whole school went into a kind of mourning. Only the Slytherins were cheerfully carrying on as normal, and in a weird way, Harry preferred this approach rather than acting as if Hermione were already dead.

Lessons carried on as usual, but Hermione's absence was felt every time a question was asked and she wasn't there to answer.

Unbelievably, Easter arrived. Hermione had been missing for five weeks.

Ron and Harry stayed at school for the holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were busy with work for the Order and were at Grimauld Place. Harry didn't particularly want to go back there.

He and Ron talked endlessly about Hermione. Feeling helpless and frustrated, they spent their days hitting a quaffle half-heartedly backwards and forwards to each other.

Ronnie had told Ron they should put their romance on hold - at least until there was news of Hermione. She could tell Ron's mind was elsewhere and understood complete how he was feeling. Ron was reluctant at first, but gradually came to realise she was right.

Then in the first week back they were in their final lesson of the day - Charms - when the door opened and Professor McGonagall entered the classroom. She walked briskly over to Professor Flitwick and whispered something. Then they both huddled together, their backs to the class.

Everyone looked at everyone else, wondering what was going on.

Eventually the Professors turned to face the class.

"Everyone, I'd like you to...erm...turn to page...erm...oh dear...page fifty-two...and read." Professor Flitwick was very flustered.

"Mr. Potter; Mr. Weasley. I'd like a word with you in my office," said Professor McGonagall.

Harry and Ron exchanged looks as they gathered up their things. Harry was concious of every eye upon them as they walked from the room.

"Is it about Hermione, Professor?" said Ron as they followed her through the corridors. "Is she OK?"

Professor McGonagall did not reply and remained silent until they reached her office.

"Please take a seat, both of you."

Her voice sounded flat. Harry thought it didn't sound like a voice that would be speaking good news.

Harry looked at Ron. He was pale.

"I have to inform you both," she said, leaning on the back of her chair for support. "Because I would rather you heard it from me, than idle gossip..."

Harry's stomach gave a lurch. He could feel anxiety creeping up through his veins. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what was about to be said.

"...that the Ministry has received reports that a young woman's body has been found by their Investigators. Her injuries correspond to those associated with Lord Voldemort. The Headmaster has gone to identify the body..." There was a little catch in Professor McGonagall's voice. She sat down abruptly in the chair, pulled a lace handkerchief from her sleeve and covered her mouth.

Harry sat there numb.

Only one thought went around and around in his head,

_He's murdering everyone I care about_.

Harry couldn't tell whether ten minutes had passed or an hour. Professor McGonagall had stopped sniffing and had begun pacing the room. She made no indication they were to leave, and Harry had no intention of doing so until they received news.

A house-elf arrived carrying a tray laden with sandwiches, cakes and drinks. She put the tray on the desk.

"Just in case you is hungry," she said in a mournful whisper and disappeared.

"You boys go ahead," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm not..."

Only Ron moved forward to take a sandwich. Harry watched him eat it as he stared blankly at the wall. He was convinced Ron hadn't tasted so much as a crumb.

The sky outside was now deep indigo. Harry thought it must be about six or seven o'clock. They had been in Professor McGonagall's office for hours.

As he gazed at the sky, something that looked like a glowing red arrow appeared, quivering outside the window. Professor McGonagall was pacing across the opposite side of the room and hadn't seen it.

Harry jumped up from his seat.

"Professor...look!"

They all turned and Professor McGonagall ran to the window and opened it. She snatched the arrow and with trembling hands, broke open the spine and shook it. A piece of parchment fell out.

She unrolled the parchment and read, silently. She gave a cry and put her handkerchief to her mouth again.

Harry and Ron moved closer and tried to read what was written, but the words made no sense to Harry. They seemed to be in a different language.

"Prof...Professor?" said Harry in a trembling voice.

She turned to them both. Tears tumbled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

"It isn't her," she said, thickly. "It isn't her."

* * *

_"BERTHA JORKINS' BODY FOUND"  
_  
screamed the headlines of the Daily Prophet the next morning.

"_Ministry officials confirmed last night that the body of a young woman found washed up on a beach in Suffolk is that of missing Ministry worker, Bertha Jorkins._

_  
"Miss Jorkins, who disappeared almost three years ago whilst holidaying in Albania, had sustained injuries associated with 'You-Know-Who'. Her body was identified by the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge._

_"Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was also present as it was first feared the body may have been that of missing student, Hermione Granger._

_  
"Whilst I am relieved the body is not that of Miss Granger, my heart goes out to Miss Jorkins' family," said Professor Dumbledore in a statement last night. "This tragic discovery will serve as a reminder to us all of the evil we are up against."_

_  
_Ginny stopped reading and put down the paper.

Everyone around them on the breakfast table was silent. Harry wondered if the same thought was running through their heads as it was his - that it could so easily have been a different headline and they might all have been here this morning grieving for Hermione.

"A tiny bit of me wishes it _had_ been Hermione," Ron later confided to Harry. "At least she'd be safe from _him_. But she's still with him. He could be torturing her and no one can help her."

Harry...sort of knew what Ron meant.

* * *

It was a few weeks later that something promising happened. Harry and Ron had just finished a session of Quiddich practise when Ronnie came running across the grass towards them, waving her hand. Ron's face lit up and he waved back.

"Ron...Harry..." she gasped. "Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office right away...I think it's about Hermione..."

Professors McGonagall and Snape arrived at the office soon after Harry and Ron.

"I'll get straight to the point," said Professor Dumbledore. "We have received a message from the Minister for Magic. It seems the Ministry has cause to believe Lord Voldemort to be at a location in London. Of course I shall go there as soon as possible, but I wanted to inform you all first. Severus, I may need your assistance."

Snape bowed towards Dumbledore.

"Sir...?" said Harry.

"You are about to ask if you may come along as well," said Dumbledore. "The answer is no. You must stay here."

"But Sir..."

"Harry, you know the danger. You know what a confrontation with Voldemort could mean. I cannot allow..."

"It has to happen sometime, why not now?"

"I cannot allow you deliberately to put yourself in danger..."

"Not even for Hermione?"

"Let me go then," said Ron.

"_No._ Both of you, listen to me. Let the Order deal with this. If we find you can help in any way whatsoever, I give you my word I will call for you."

Harry knew it was no use carrying on pleading. He nodded and resigned himself to a sleepless night of worry.

* * *

Sometimes the obvious has been staring you in the face all the time and it takes a tiny thing to make you realise it.

It was late. Harry, Ron and Neville had gone up to the dormitory and were getting ready for bed.

Neville was doing his nightly ritual of looking for something he'd mislaid. He'd pulled out the drawer of his bedside table and was now kneeling on the floor looking under his bed.

"What've you lost tonight?" asked Ron.

"_'Roots and Their Magical Properties'_" said Neville. "I thought I'd put it on my bedside table this morning."

"Yeah, well those house-elves get a bit over-enthusiastic with their tidying sometimes," said Ron.

"Have you checked your trunk?" suggested Harry.

"No. Better do that I suppose." Neville went to the end of his bed and opened the lid of his trunk. "I can't see it," he said, rummaging through the untidy contents.

Harry then caught sight of something as it glimmered in the candlelight.

"Neville, why don't you ask the mirror where your book is?"

Neville stopped still and then looked up at Harry.

"Because I'm an idiot and forgot about the mirror," he said, sheepishly.

Neville took hold of the wooden handle and pulled the mirror free from the tangle of items.

"Please find _'Roots and Their Magical Properties'_"

Harry peered over Neville's shoulder at the mirror. There was a kind of spiral whirl of silver and then a picture appeared in the glass. It was their dormitory and there, prominently in the foreground, was the book - straight and tidy under Neville's pillow.

"Oh yes, I remember now. I was reading it in bed last night. I must have shoved it under the pillow just before I fell asleep."

Harry gave a little smile and looked at Ron.

Ron was standing with his hands on his pyjama jacket. He was midway through doing up a button. He was staring wide-eyed and wide-mouthed at Neville.

"What?" said Neville.

"The...the mirror," gasped Ron. "It finds things!"

"Yes, clever, isn't it?" said Neville.

Harry frowned at Ron. What was the matter with him? He'd seen Neville use the mirror before. What was the big deal?

"Does it just find objects, or can it find...people?"

Realisation dawned on Harry and Neville at the same time.

_"I don't know!"_ shouted Neville in excitement.

_"Well ask it!"_

"Oh, erm..."

"Give it here..." Ron snatched the mirror from Neville. "Please find Hermione!" said Ron, loudly.

The three of them crowded around the mirror, watching the spiralling silver.

Suddenly there was a picture. A room. It looked as big as a classroom, but bleak and dark. In the middle of the room was a black iron bed with a single blanket and a person asleep underneath.

"Neville, stop breathing, you're misting up the glass," said Ron.

"It's her! It must be." said Harry. "But where is she? It's no good being able to see her if we don't know where it is."

"Look around the room. See if there's a clue." said Neville.

Harry thought his eyes would pop out of his head as he strained them in desperation to see anything, anything at all that might tell them where Hermione was.

"There's nothing," said Ron, deflated. "Nothing."

"What about the door?" suggested Harry. "Look at the lock. It's really old and really huge."

They all peered harder. They stayed silent for a few moments, and then Neville said,

"It looks like...but it can't be."

"WHAT?" shouted Harry and Ron.

"Well, it looks like the kind of lock they use at Gringott's."

* * *

Professor McGonagall touched the glass of the mirror gently with her index finger, as though to stroke Hermione's sleeping form.

"I shall send the information to Professor Dumbledore at once. It may help in his search."

"You think she might be at Gringott's, Professor?" asked Ron.

"It is a possibility we cannot afford to rule out," she said. "There are many secret passageways and tunnels running underneath the City of London."

"Professor, the Prophecy says..."

"I am fully aware of what the Prophecy says, Mr. Potter, which is why the Headmaster wishes you to remain here."

"But if they are going to rescue Hermione, they'll probably have to fight Voldemort. They can't kill him - _I_ have to - so I've _got_ to go."

"No, you do not!"

"But they're in danger..."

"They will be in further danger if they have to look out for you at the same time, Mr. Potter. Now, I suggest you return to your beds. Hopefully by morning we shall have news."

* * *

"Harry?" Ron's voice whispered from the other side of Harry's bed curtains.

"Yeah?"

"Neville's asleep. Let's go."

Harry pulled back the covers and got out of bed. He was already dressed in jeans and the sweater Mrs. Weasley had knitted for him at Christmas. Ron was also dressed.

Neither had spoken a word about this plan. They both just knew they would not be able to sit passively, waiting for morning.

They grabbed their brooms and made their way quietly down the stairs and out the main door.

"Which way is London?" said Ron.

"South. So, that way..."

They kicked off from the ground and flew over the lake.

It had been a warm day, but now the temperature had dropped and there was moisture in the air. Harry shivered and thought about the long flight ahead. Who would be there? And how would they get into the Bank?

"Harry! Look!" Ron shouted across to him.

Harry looked towards the ground in the direction Ron was pointing.

Four shimmering forms were gliding effortlessly beneath them, shadowing their flight. Harry felt his heart and spirits lift as he watched the snow-white wings spread out across the lake and the silvery gowns rippling in the breeze.

One of the figures turned and beckoned them. Harry looked at Ron and then both descended.

They were Sirens.

"Harry Potter," one of them sang. "We have come to assist you. Let us take you to London. We are far quicker than broomsticks. Sit between my wings - and be prepared. We shall follow the water. My sisters will take care of your brooms."

The Siren moved up, underneath Harry and he felt his body supported by something as soft as a feather bed. He glanced at Ron who was doing exactly the same.

A wispy hand took his broom and whisked it away.

"Hold tight!"

There was a booming noise in his ears as the Siren accelerated. She skimmed over the land as close to water as possible. It seemed only minutes before Harry spotted the familiar London skyline and the landmarks of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. As they flew past Big Ben's tower, Harry noticed the clock's hands pointing to twenty minutes past midnight.

They flew along the middle of the river Thames, so close to the water, Harry thought he could lean down and touch it.

They flew past St. Paul's Cathedral and swooped to a halt on the muddy banks of the Thames just outside the Tower of London.

"Here," said the Siren, moving across to a very well-concealed grille in the wall. "Through here is a tunnel which leads to his lair. Beware, there are many tunnels that lead to many places - one as far as Caverna Caeli in the lake at Hogwarts. Follow the sign that looks like a pair of scales."

"Thank you," said Harry.

"His follower attacked our sister, Flight" she said. "We are glad to give you any help we can. Good luck, Harry Potter."

The Sirens disappeared across the waves.

"That was pretty bloody fantastic, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking dazed.

"Come on, let's go."

They turned to the grille which looked just big enough for them to squeeze through.

"I don't fancy crawling along a tunnel if it's only _that_ big," said Ron.

"Neither do I, but it's the only way," said Harry.

They prised the grille away from the wall. It screeched open on two rusty hinges.

"I'll go first. _Lumos_!" Harry stuck his head through the hole and shone his wand around inside. "It's OK," he said, bringing his head out again. "It's high enough to stand up in, if you bend your head."

They both climbed in and Ron closed the grille behind them.

The corridor looked and smelt just like the one in Caverna Caeli, only instead of grey rock and sand, there was a chalky substance on the ground and the walls also had great chunks of white in them.

There was only one direction to go.

"We have to go underneath the Tower?" said Ron.

"Suppose so - at least it can't be far. Gringott's can only be a mile or so from here."

Presently they came to a circular clearing with six corridors leading off in different directions.

"This one's got a kind of crescent moon on the wall," said Ron. "And this one's got a ship."

"I've got a dragon - bet that leads to the gold mine in Wales...Hey, this is the one we want." Harry pointed to the carving of a pair of scales.

Using Harry's wand to light the way, they proceeded down the corridor for quite a few minutes until they came to a corner. Ron stopped, grasping Harry's arm to hold him back.

"Hang on," he whispered. "I thought I heard something."

They both stood absolutely still, holding their breath and listening. At first, there was nothing, but then Harry heard it. The low rumble of people talking quietly in the distance.

Ron walked to the bend in the corridor and tentatively put his head around the corner. Then he returned to Harry.

"There's another grille, like the one we came through. There's a light, but not a bright one. You'd better put your wand out."

Harry did - and they were plunged into darkness.

Creeping around the corner, Harry could see the black waffle-like grille with a dull yellow light shining beyond. Every now and then they heard the same low whispering echoing down the corridor and the shadows of people as they moved around.

As quietly as they could, they drew nearer to the grille and although the voices became louder the nearer they got, Harry still couldn't make out the words.

The grille was at chest level. They crouched down either side - Ron to the left and Harry to the right. They peered into a stark room with a heavy oak door on the opposite wall.

"We can get into the anti-chamber through that wall."

Harry recognised the voice of Dumbledore and breathed a sigh of relief.

"If he knows we are here, he'll be waiting for us," said a second voice which sounded very much like Lupin.

"That's a chance we have to take," said Dumbledore. "Hopefully we shall still be better prepared than he. Are you absolutely sure you are prepared for this, Severus? You are perhaps, in more danger than either of us."

"I am."

"Then..." Dumbledore's voice stopped suddenly and the room fell silent. Harry could sense movement in the room but could not see anything.

He was just wondering what his and Ron's next move should be, when a voice very close made them both jump.

"Harry, since you and Mr. Weasley are here, perhaps you would be good enough to join us?"

The grille swung open and Dumbledore's face appeared in the hole.

Feeling very stupid, Harry and Ron climbed out and faced Dumbledore, Lupin and Snape. Dumbledore looked at them gravely.

"I did not expect you so soon, Harry," he said. "Pray tell us how you came to be here?"

"The Sirens brought us," said Harry. He thought it was a straightforward answer but Lupin started forward and stopped at Dumbledore's side.

"You realise what this could mean, Dumbledore?" he said.

"Indeed I do, Remus," he replied, all the while looking directly at Harry.

"Then he must return to the school immediately."

"No, Sir!" Harry protested. "We have to be here. We have to help get Hermione."

"Absolutely not," said Lupin. "It is too dangerous. Tell him, Dumbledore..."

"Harry is aware of the dangers," Dumbledore replied.

"But the Prophecy - you know what it foretells."

"Indeed I do, Remus. And so does Harry."

"You can't mean to allow him to...he's a child for Merlin's sake!"

Dumbledore turned to Lupin.

"In a little over two months he will be an adult, Remus. I believe he knows his own mind." Dumbledore looked back at Harry. "Harry, if you think you are ready?"

"I am, Sir. Thank you."

"Mr. Weasley?"

"Me too, Sir."

"Then Remus, would you kindly open the wall?"

Lupin looked extremely put out. With his face showing grave misgivings, he turned to the right hand wall and pressed a panel.

The centre section of the wall glided effortlessly open. They went through into a room that looked very much like a church. It was lit with torches burning high on the walls and the reflection of the flames bounced off elaborately carved golden objects set towards the opposite end of the room.

They walked towards that end of the room where three wide but shallow steps led up to a kind of altar. There was a table covered in a rich black velvet cloth. A golden candelabra stood at either end. Each held six burning candles.

The wall beyond was draped in the same black velvet, but tied back, rather like Aunt Petunia's sitting room curtains. Where they parted, a wide door could be seen. It was black wood, panelled and studded with bolts.

Dumbledore turned to them.

"The only way to him and therefore Miss Granger, is through this door. The chamber beyond is charmed rather like Hogwarts and cannot be entered by any other means. The method of entry means he will know we are coming. I suspect he is waiting for us."

"What...what's in there?" asked Ron.

"It is the Chamber of Justice," said Lupin. "It is where the goblins have decided the fate of their criminals for many thousands of years. Centuries ago, even the British Muggles knew about it and built their most feared prison above it - the Tower of London. Many Muggles were imprisoned there and never heard of again. This is where they were brought."

"But we _started_ at the Tower of London," said Harry, puzzled. "We walked underneath it and away, towards Gringott's."

Lupin shook his head.

"You walked around in a circle, Harry. The tunnels are deceiving. You can walk many miles in them and go nowhere and yet you may walk only a few moments and be many hundreds of miles away."

"Harry; Ron. I will understand completely if you wish to leave," said Dumbledore. "For once we go through this door, there is no easy way out. And _he_ is in there."

"Yes, but so is Hermione," said Ron, forcibly.

Dumbledore nodded and looked at Harry. Harry nodded.

"Severus? Remus?"

Snape and Lupin both gave a little bow of their heads.

"Very well. We shall proceed. The protection of Aradia be with you all."

Dumbledore turned to the table where an ornate golden rod lay between the two candelabras. Harry could see it was heavy - Dumbledore needed both hands to lift it. He held it, rather like a javelin, at shoulder height and thrust it at the door. A booming echoing clang shook the door and reverberated around the room. Dumbledore drew back the rod and hit the door again, and then a third time.

"Well, if he _wasn't_ expecting us, he is now," whispered Ron to Harry.

The door opened slowly, heavily. Harry and Ron gasped.

The room beyond was vast - easily twice as big as the Great Hall at school. The ceiling - as high as any cathedral Harry had ever seen - was a huge white dome which shimmered and shifted as though reflecting something; and when Harry looked down, he saw an equally large circular lake with vapour billowing just above the surface.

In the middle of this 'lake' was a flat, round stone island, about eight feet across. It had three shallow steps which ran all around the edge and descended into the vapour.

There was a stone table set to the front of the island, it was shaped like a horseshoe which had been broken in half. Where the two halves parted stood a figure.

She was dressed in a floor-length black robe. A silver belt hung from her waist to the hem of the robe. Although too far away to be clearly visible, Harry knew that on the ends of the belt were two silver snakes heads.

Harry's immediate thought was _how did Bellatrix escape from Azkaban again?_ - but this thought was only in his mind for a fraction of a second before he realised the woman he was looking at wasn't Bellatrix.

It was Hermione.

* * *

**A/N** - Aradia is a goddess who protects witches and wizards.

The idea of Dumbledore opening the door by hitting it with the golden rod was inspired by the tradition of Black Rod doing the very same thing when opening Parliament.

**Emma Barrows** - Thanks, Emma.

**FemmeLoki -** Just how much alcohol had you consumed when you wrote that last review? Hehehe. I have to hold my hands up and admit total ignorance to Star Wars, apart from the very first film, which I saw a very long time ago. Oh, and the 'I am your father' line. And no, that _isn't_ going to happen!

**Thouandl -** I imagined that Ron would actually have more bulk than Snape by now and could really deliver a hefty punch. Although we haven't seen much of it, I played on the old cliché that redheads have tempers. I don't think it was balls, I think it was blind fury. And yes, I believe Snape would have killed Ron.

**Queen of the Faeries** - Yep, this chapter and one more, then all my fanfics are finished. We'll have to wait and see what inspiration HBP brings. I'm not sure where the flying idea came from, but it wouldn't surprise me if Snape turns out to be an unregistered animagus and can turn into a bat. It would certainly be a good way of him spying on Voldemort. Interesting that Deeble should write a similar scene. I'll have to check it out. Apologies forthe spelling mistakes. I didn't ask Jess to Beta this story because of the speed I planned to post - however careful I am, I dare say there will be more mistakes before the end.


	13. The Ultimate Weapon

Thanks everyone for reading.

This is my last post. My very last post. I have no other fanfics ready, but hopefully if and when I write another, I will meet you all again. To my regular reviewers, a very big thank you. You have been a source of pleasure to me over this past year and supported me in my writing. Thank you. Thank you.

I'm now off to join the SSA - Severus Snapeics Annonymous. I'm addicted - but is it really an addiction I want to be cured of? I don't think so.

Enjoy the Half-Blood Prince, everyone. lol, Severusgirl.

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**THE ULTIMATE WEAPON**

Hermione stood quite still, her arms by her side, her wand in her hand. She wore a silver necklace with a pendant of some kind settled at her breast and every so often the pendant would wink as the shimmering light from the ceiling caught it.

She watched them impassively as they filed into the chamber.

Ron made a sudden move forward. Lupin grabbed his arm. "Careful," he warned.

"It's Hermione!" said Ron.

"I know." Lupin kept a restraining arm on Ron.

Harry shivered as he looked at Hermione. The resemblance to Bellatrix was alarming.

Something was very wrong. This Hermione did not seem to want to be rescued. She looked as though she was waiting to receive them, that they were her guests.

"I imagine you are not alone, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, his voice ringing around the hall and up into the dome.

Harry and Ron looked at him. His tone was quite level and chatty, but there was a slight edge to his voice as though he were here to do business with Hermione rather than rescue her.

"You imagine correctly, Dumbledore," she replied, her voice devoid of any warmth. Harry couldn't remember ever before hearing Hermione address a teacher without using the word 'Professor' in front of their name. "_He_ is all around. _He_ watches us."

"Are you well, Miss Granger?"

Ron frowned and Harry knew what he was thinking. Why was Dumbledore having a friendly little chat with Hermione? Why not just grab her and go? It was only then Harry realised there was no way to get to her. The stone island was of course, completely cut off from where they stood by the lake.

"I am well. I have not been treated cruelly," she replied.

"That is good to hear."

Dumbledore seemed to have the measure of a situation Harry was yet to understand. He stood with his hands folded in front of him and spoke to Hermione quite casually.

"I assume you have business to complete before you are able to join us on our journey back to school?" Dumbledore continued. "Would you be good enough to tell us what that business might be?"

"_She is to kill each and every one of you!"_ came a cold, high-pitched voice, seemingly from every part of the chamber. "_All but the Potter boy_."

It was unmistakably Voldemort.

"Tom," said Dumbledore, his eyes glancing over the room. "You realise Miss Granger belongs with us? We have come to take her back."

"She belongs to _me_," said Voldemort. "She has the Mark. She came when I called. She will do _my_ bidding."

"She may have your Mark, Tom, but it was given forcibly. She came to you against her will. Given the freedom of choice, she would choose her friends; those she loves."

"She has no love," laughed Voldemort. "She has no affection. I have removed all trace of human emotion from her memory. She cares for no one."

"That isn't possible," whispered Lupin, shocked. "The magic needed to accomplish that..."

"_Would be very dark indeed,"_ finished the voice. "Do you doubt my abilities? Would you put them to the test?"

Dumbledore looked at them all.

"Do nothing," he said and turned and walked to the edge of the lake.

"Miss Granger," he said. "I hold you in the highest regard. I believe your natural sense of right and wrong will prevail before you cause any of us harm."

"You are the Headmaster of my school," said Hermione. "Nothing more." She lifted her wand and a red fire blasted from the end towards Dumbledore.

Dumbledore also lifted his wand and deflected the spell with ease.

Ron and Harry let out a shout and grabbed each other by the arm.

Harry couldn't believe what he'd just seen.

Hermione had actually attacked Dumbledore!

"You see, Dumbledore, she will attack and kill you all without remorse!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" yelled Ron. "SHE'D NEVER ATTACK ME OR HARRY. WE'RE BEST FRIENDS. WE'VE SHARED TOO MUCH."

Lupin made a grab for Ron as he sprang forward towards Dumbledore, but Ron shook him off.

"Hermione, it's me, Ron. We're friends, remember? We fought a troll together. We've fought _Death Eaters_ together. You haven't forgotten?"

Hermione looked at him.

"No, Ron, I haven't forgotten - but I don't remember being your friend. You are nothing but something to be disposed of..." Again she lifted her wand. Again Dumbledore caught and deflected the spell before it reached Ron.

Ron's face was full of disbelief and shock. Lupin went forward and gently touched his shoulder, then brought him back to where Harry stood.

"You see, Dumbledore," laughed the voice. "I have the ultimate weapon. Someone you care about cares nothing for you. She will do my bidding and attack you all, but will you be able to retaliate and harm her? I think not!"

There was cold amusement in the voice and Harry finally realised the predicament they were in.

Which of them would or could kill Hermione? Not him or Ron. Certainly not Dumbledore or Lupin.

And then with a chill that covered him like a cold shower, he knew. Which of their party would he consider most likely to murder? Which person seemed himself devoid of any emotion other than rage?

At that moment Harry made up his mind he would kill Snape before he would allow him to harm Hermione.

The vapour shifted. A solid object was rising up and parting it. Harry watched and recognised it - a causeway. A stone path between where they stood and Hermione.

"Cross the causeway, any one of you," the voice invited. "She has spells more powerful than you could imagine. Who will be the first to fight? Which will be the first to die?"

"Have you grown so cowardly, Tom, that you would have this young woman do your killing?" said Dumbledore. "I thought you were proud of your powers? At least do us the honour of a fair and equal fight."

The cold laugh echoed around the room.

"I am not cowardly, Dumbledore. Nor am I stupid. Let Potter watch as you all die, one by one, by his friend's hand, for I know you will not kill her. I shall then give _him_ a 'fair and equal fight.'"

Dumbledore returned to Harry and the others. He drew a circle on the ground with his wand, enclosing their group.

"That will prevent him from hearing us," he said, although he continued in a low voice. "We cannot touch her. Anything we do to stop her attacking us will cause her harm."

"We have to get her off the island," said Lupin. "That's where most of his power over her is contained. She _has_ to come across the causeway."

"She will kill any one of us who tries to reach her," said Snape.

"What we need," said Dumbledore. "Is to get through to her emotions."

"She hasn't got any," said Ron, bleakly. "He's taken them all. She doesn't care about anyone."

They fell silent. Dumbledore put his index fingers together and put them to his lips as he bowed his head in thought. Harry felt useless. He could see no way out of the situation.

"Unless..." said Dumbledore, slowly.

"Yes?" said Lupin, hopefully.

Dumbledore lifted his head and glanced over at Hermione.

"She still wears the Scribe's Crystal around her neck," he said, turning to look directly at Snape.

Snape's mouth fell open slightly and a horrified look came over his face.

"NO!"

"It may be her only hope..."

"NO! Emphatically NO!" He turned his back on Dumbledore and drew his cloak around his body.

Lupin stepped up and spoke to his back.

"If you have _any_ way of getting her across that causeway, Severus, for Merlin's sake, _do it_!"

"You have no idea what is being asked, Lupin," spat Snape. "I advise you to keep out of this."

Dumbledore waved a hand at Lupin indicating he should remain silent. Then he turned to address Snape's back.

"Severus, I understand the enormity of what I am asking. You objected to my actions from the beginning - but are those objections worth more than Miss Granger's life? Than all our lives? I appeal to you - as a fellow human being."

Snape turned slowly to look at Dumbledore, unfolding his arms as he did so. Dumbledore had obviously touched a nerve somewhere. Snape had the desperate expression of a man trapped. His black eyes flickered momentarily towards Harry and Ron. Dumbledore saw this and said,

"I assure you that saving the life of their friend will outweigh anything else they may think. We are in a desperate situation, Severus, and we have one weapon left to us. Once again I beg you - look to your _humane_ side."

Snape looked murderous.

He glared at Dumbledore, but Dumbledore just stared straight back into his eyes. It was Snape who backed down.

"Very well," he hissed. "But under the _strongest possible protest_." He brushed past Dumbledore and swept out of the circle to the edge of the causeway.

"Severus Snape!" said Voldemort with glee. "My Death Eater turned traitor. How delightful that you are to be the first to die."

Snape was standing at the beginning of the causeway. His feet had now disappeared from view as the vapour rolled around his ankles.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore had waved his wand. Harry realised he had cast a Whispering Charm on the entire circle when Dumbledore whispered quickly,

"Miss Granger, you still wear the Scribe's Crystal. Do you recall _why_ you wear it?"

A flicker of a frown crossed Hermione's face.

"It acts as a Pensive," they heard her whisper. "You placed a memory from my head into the Crystal." Hermione touched the Crystal with her free hand.

"Please open the Crystal and remove the stopper."

"_Prepare to do battle, Snape_," ordered Voldemort.

Hermione lifted her wand and pointed it towards Snape.

"Before you do anything, Miss Granger," whispered Dumbledore, urgently. "Please remove the stopper. It is, after all, _your_ memory in the Crystal. You surely would want it back? It may be important."

Hermione turned her head a fraction to look in their direction. After the smallest hesitation, she flicked open the top of the Crystal and released the stopper.

Dumbledore sighed with relief and erased the Whispering Charm.

"_Step forward Snape, and fight if you dare,"_ the high-pitched laugh rang around the room.

Harry watched a thin, wispy silver thread curl up from inside the Crystal and disappear into Hermione's hair. She gave a sudden jolt backwards and gasped.

Snape took this as his cue. He stepped onto the causeway and slowly walked up until he had reached half way. He had not raised his wand.

Hermione seemed to have gone into a kind of daze.

"Miss Granger?"

Harry heard a male voice and looked around to see who had spoken. The voice had sounded uncannily like Snape's, but the tone most definitely did not. This voice was polite, gentle; warm, even.

Confused, Harry looked towards Snape again.

In her daze, Hermione's wand had drifted off course and now pointed somewhere to the right.

"Miss Granger, would you look at me please."

It _was_ Snape!

Harry had seen his lips move.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was a tenderness in the voice that was a million miles away from Snape's cold drawling sneer.

Hermione turned her head and looked in Snape's direction. She moved forward of the table, pointing her wand towards him, but whereas before the wand had been held firmly and confidently, it now trembled.

"You do not raise your wand, Snape," said Voldemort. "You cannot fight her? I thought you of all people..."

"I do not raise my wand," said Snape, speaking softly as he maintained eye contact with Hermione, "because I do not believe Miss Granger can find it in her heart to harm me."

_What's he _on_ about?_ thought Harry. _If she can attack Dumbledore and Ron, she'll have no problem attacking Snape._

The cruel, mocking laugh echoed around the hall.

"Her heart is an organ that keeps her alive, Snape, nothing more. You will die a traitor's death - slowly and painfully. _KILL HIM!"_

Harry saw Dumbledore grip his own wand tighter.

Hermione took an unsteady step towards Snape.

_"Cruc...Cruc..."_ Hermione couldn't get the word out. Harry noticed tears trickling down her cheeks.

Snape began walking slowly up the causeway towards her, ignoring the wand still pointing directly at his chest.

_"Cruc...Cruci_..." Hermione's voice trembled thickly.

_"KILL HIM!"_ came the order again.

_"Crucio!"  
_

The word came out so feebly that the green light merely trickled from the end of her wand and Snape brushed it aside like a cobweb.

"Miss Granger, I know you have no wish to harm me. Would you join me on the causeway?" said Snape.

"SHE WILL NOT GO," cried Voldemort. "SHE IS UNDER MY COMMAND."

"Miss Granger...?" Snape took another step forward and reached out his hand towards her.

Hermione took another unsteady step, this time down the first step of the island.

A violent hiss escaped from Voldemort and he suddenly appeared in the centre of the island. Black robed, thin and menacing, he lifted his wand and sent a red flash towards Snape.

Dumbledore swished his wand and deflected the spell into the vapour where it hissed and spluttered as it disappeared.

Meanwhile, Hermione had reached out and put her hand in Snape's.

Harry felt Ron shudder beside him.

"_What_ am I _seeing_...?" Ron sounded disturbed.

Hermione lowered her wand, stepped down the final steps and onto the causeway. She smiled at Snape and the look in her eyes was unmistakable.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." said Ron, turning away.

Snape, still holding Hermione's hand, put his other arm around her and guided her along the causeway towards Dumbledore.

"I WILL KILL YOU BOTH MYSELF!"

Voldemort's wand exploded with green light. This time, both Dumbledore and Lupin sent deflecting spells towards it. Like the last, they landed in the water with a hiss.

A spell exploded in their direction. Dumbledore was quick enough to deflect it before it hit them, but it caught Lupin on the left arm. He spun round, his face contorted with pain.

Another flash.

Their attention momentarily distracted by Lupin, even Dumbledore's reaction was too slow. The spell hit Snape in the middle of his back and he collapsed lifeless to the ground.

Hermione screamed. Snape had fallen half way over the edge of the causeway. She grabbed his arm and held on frantically, trying to stop him from tumbling into the vapour.

Dumbledore sprang forward, his wand pointing at Voldemort.

"Miss Granger, return to the main land," he said, urgently.

But Hermione ignored him. She was grasping at Snape, doing everything she could to stop him falling.

"HERMIONE!" yelled Harry, springing forward. If they didn't help her, Harry could see Snape was going to fall, taking Hermione with him.

"HARRY, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" commanded Dumbledore, but Harry was already on the causeway, running towards Hermione.

Streams of red spells were exploding all around as Dumbledore and Lupin deflected Voldemort's attacks.

Harry reached Hermione and grabbed hold of Snape's arm. Ron arrived quickly after and together they pulled Snape's body away from the causeway's edge.

Dumbledore and Lupin were now on the causeway, firing spells that failed to penetrate the island and reach Voldemort. All they could do was deflect Voldemort's spells and stop them harming anyone.

Harry and Ron were trying to get Hermione away, at the same time ducking to avoid the overhead fire, but Hermione was resisting. She seemed determined to stay with Snape.

A particularly violent spell exploded quite close. Hermione managed to release herself and turned towards the island to return to Snape. Absolute terror gripped Harry as he saw the green flash leave Voldemort's wand at that precise moment and head straight for Hermione.

The spell hit the Crystal. At first it seemed the Crystal had absorbed the spell, but then shards of brilliant light exploded from it and filled the room with a blinding white light. It buzzed all around them, sending an electrical charge through the air.

Hermione screamed once more and crumpled to the ground.

Horrified, Harry went to grab her, but pulled away immediately as a powerful static charge clicked through his body. Then Ron bent to help her and also pulled his hand away quickly.

"Harry. Ron. Come away from her," said Dumbledore.

"But..." said Harry.

"Both of you-walk towards me. Please. Trust me."

Harry looked at Dumbledore and saw he held his arm across Lupin, preventing him from coming forward. They both looked as though they were seeing something they couldn't quite believe.

Slowly, reluctantly, he and Ron did as they were told.

Hermione still lay on the ground but her body was enclosed in a fizzing white light. It was so bright that her black robe now looked grey.

Dumbledore motioned for Harry and Ron to step behind him.

There came a groaning noise from Hermione's direction and her arms moved to push herself up from the ground, slowly and laboriously.

Harry noticed the attacks had stopped. When he looked towards the island he saw Voldemort standing there, his wand at his side, his red eyes piercing from inside the blackness of the hood. He seemed to be as fascinated by what was going on as they were.

Hermione began to uncurl. Her whole body seemed to shine with a light radiating from within.

The groaning changed to a low growl. It was a raw animal-like sound, low and rasping. It grew louder and fiercer the more Hermione stood upright.

Then suddenly she was standing. Glowing with the white light, enclosed in an aura of energy that shifted and pulsated, she was almost luminous.

She took a deep breath and in one fluid movement turned, brought her wand in a graceful arc over her head and pointed it towards Voldemort. With a voice so full of power it shook Harry's insides, she cried,

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

The spell blasted through the protection of the horseshoe and enclosed Voldemort in a cage of green light.

And then he vanished, leaving a negative image on the air before it dissolved into a wispy tendril of smoke.

There followed a crackle rather like a firework. The static around them dwindled and died, leaving a silence hanging heavily in the air.

Harry stared at Hermione, feeling he had just witnessed something important. Quite what that something was, he wasn't sure but the greatness of it had not been missed. He glanced at the others. Ron looked frightened; Lupin, shocked; Dumbledore…

...was beaming.

Hermione lowered her wand and turned to them. Her presence seemed to fill the room.

Dumbledore broke away from their group and walked up to her. He took both her hands in his and then leant forward and kissed her on both cheeks.

"I am privileged to have witnessed the emergence of a truly great witch," he said. "Welcome back."

"I'm sorry I attacked you," she said. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time."

"I am delighted that you are sorry," smiled Dumbledore. "It marks the return of your emotions."

Hermione's face paled. She broke away from Dumbledore, turned and went to Snape.  
She waved her wand and in a replay of what had happened at Caverna Caeli, a stretcher appeared, only this time Hermione was summoning it for Snape.

"He isn't dead," said Dumbledore, gently.

"I know." Harry heard a sob catch in Hermione's throat.

"Perhaps," said Dumbledore, kindly. "It might be best to return the memory to the Crystal now?"

She glanced at Dumbledore and then back at Snape.

"Not yet," she said softly, adjusting the blanket unnecessarily. "Not until I get him safely back to Madam Pomfrey."

"Dumbledore," said Lupin quietly. "I think we should leave."

* * *

"There is little point in ordering you both to bed," said Dumbledore as they arrived back at his office. "I don't expect either of you will be able to sleep." 

Hermione and Lupin had taken Snape to the Hospital Wing.

"Professor, what happened to Hermione?" said Ron. "Is she going to Azkaban? Did she kill Voldemort?"

"No," answered Harry, rubbing his head. "She didn't kill him. But he's not feeling very well." he grinned across at Ron.

"Neither will Hermione be going to Azkaban," said Dumbledore. "That sentence is only given when an Unforgivable is used on another human being - and there is not a Court in this land that would describe Voldemort as that."

"What's happened to her, Professor?" asked Harry. "What was all that white light and fizzing?"

"Hermione has undergone a metamorphosis," said Dumbledore. "It is a truly great and rare occurrence, especially in one so young. In the time she's had with Voldemort he has trained her and given her powers beyond anything she would have learned at school. The Crystal also has powers of its own and when it was hit, those powers were activated. I believe she would now be fighting by Voldemort's side as one of the most powerful witches of her age, if he had not made the mistake of harming the one person she cared for."

"You mean, if Voldemort hadn't attacked Snape, she would have changed into a Dark Witch?" said Harry, horrified.

"Yes, Harry. It came as close as that," Dumbledore replied. "As it is, we now have that power on _our_ side."

"Hang on...just a minute...since when does Hermione _'care'_ for Snape?" demanded Ron. "Tell me this is some kind of weird Lockhart thing. She had a stupid crush on him, too..."

Dumbledore remained silent for a second or two.

"Hermione had difficulty coming to terms with the Mark on her hand - both physically and mentally," he said. "Something she would never confess even to her closest friends. The only person who could wholly relate to her problems and help her through them was Professor Snape. Such things can cause us to see someone in a different light."

"What sort of light? Pitch dark so she couldn't see sense?" spluttered Ron.

"I do not condone the situation, Ron, but I am wise enough to acknowledge that sometimes we cannot help where our heart leads us."

Dumbledore perched on the corner of his desk in front of them.

"You have to remember - she shares the stigma of the Dark Mark with Professor Snape. They fought a battle for their lives together-against Bellatrix Lestrange. Powerful things to have in common."

"Just because they fought Bellatrix together she goes and falls in l...? I can't believe it, it's ridiculous!"

"Is it, Ron?" said Dumbledore, looking Ron in the eye. "Are you _sure_ you can't understand how someone can find affection for another after fighting say, a mountain troll together, for instance?"

Ron went scarlet.

"Hermione has found in Professor Snape a kind of kindred spirit and out of that has grown her affection for him. What you witnessed tonight was a vast exaggeration of those emotions.

"You have to realise that when she released the stopper from the Crystal and the memory re-entered her head, it was the only drop of affection in the whole of her body; Voldemort had removed everything else. The emotion was therefore far more intense. And it _saved our lives_."

"Snape knew what was in the Crystal!" said Harry, suddenly realising. "That's why he didn't want it opened..."

"Professor Snape was horrified when he discovered Hermione was harbouring these emotions. You will remember the day in the Potions lesson when Miss Granger was having trouble with the Call? Professor Snape had to go into her mind to help her. It was then he discovered how she was feeling. After much deliberation, the three of us decided it would be best to remove the memory from her head. Professor Snape wanted the memory destroyed completely, but we had no right to do that. Instead, we placed it in the Scribe's Crystal which she wore around her neck."

"So Snape doesn't care at all?" said Harry, feeling curiously bitter, but not surprised that Snape could be so dismissive of Hermione's feelings.

"I do know that his respect for Hermione has grown from that time in Caverna Caeli, and believe me, the respect of Severus Snape is a rare thing indeed. As for affection? Suffice it to say it is not in his nature to care for anyone in that way." Dumbledore gave a little smile. "And a jolly good thing too! That _would_ have complicated things! He was, after all, her teacher."

_"Was?"_

Dumbledore walked around the desk and sat down in his chair. He rested his arms on the desktop and looked at Harry and Ron.

"I don't expect either of you to appreciate immediately the change that has taken place in Hermione," he said. "Her metamorphosis means she is one of the most powerful witches alive. Her knowledge is now beyond anything we can teach her at Hogwarts."

Harry stared at Dumbledore.

"Y...you're going to ask her to leave!" he said, astounded.

"I shall certainly present her with that option," answered Dumbledore. "Hopefully she will agree to joining the Order. She now has far more to do outside school than in."

"Hermione'd never choose to leave Hogwarts now!" said Ron. "We've got NEWTs next year! There's no way she'd miss those!"

"That may be so," said Dumbledore. "We shall see."

There was a brief knock on the door and it opened.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Remus. Come in..."

Harry had no explanation for it, but both he and Ron got to their feet as Hermione entered the room, followed by Lupin.

Hermione was still dressed in the black robe, the belt and the pendant. There was a radiance about her, an energy. The way she walked and the way she stood was so self-assured and confident, Harry felt he was looking at a Professor rather than someone his own age. He realised perhaps Dumbledore was right. Harry couldn't imagine Hermione sitting at a desk as a student again.

"He is settled," she told Dumbledore. "Madam Pomfrey thinks he will be conscious by morning."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Now, Miss Granger," he said. "If I remember correctly, you could probably do with a cup of tea after your experience."

Hermione laughed.

"Yes, I could."

Dumbledore summoned a tray with five steaming mugs of hot tea. Lupin took his and sat down. Hermione remained standing.

"Harry. Ron..." she stopped and glanced at them both standing in front of her. They both sat immediately. "I'm sorry I attacked you..."

"Awww that's OK..."

"Don't worry about it..."

"I realise I am missing most of my emotions, but I can feel them coming back slowly. It's very easy to like you both. I can see why I did." She smiled at them. Curiously, her eyes now twinkled just as Dumbledore's did.

Ron's face went scarlet again and Harry felt himself go very warm.

"I know Professor Dumbledore has explained to you what's happened. Especially...the business with the Crystal - and I know what you must be thinking. I would have thought the same a year ago. Please don't judge me. I was frightened and he was the only person I could turn to."

"We thought Snape was training you to be a Death Eater," said Ron. "You could have told us."

"Could I? How do you think you would have reacted?" asked Hermione, matter-of-factly. "How have you reacted tonight?"

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"The only person who knew was Professor Trelawney."

"Trelawney!" said Harry.

"Yes. Somehow she picked up on everything at the Christmas lunch. I was so shocked, I didn't have time to deny it. But she was very kind. Underneath all that mystic nonsense she's really quite a good councilor. She advised me to go and speak to Professor Dumbledore, but I was too embarrassed. Of course, I should have done because he eventually had the wonderful idea of putting the memory in the Crystal." She smiled at Dumbledore.

"And the rest, as they say, is history," he smiled back.

"As for my transformation - I'm not quite sure I understand the full implications or why it's happened to me. I feel as if I've had a whole library of knowledge stuffed into my brain. I feel a kind of energy bubbling inside that I shall have to learn to deal with. It's all very confusing.

"But there's one thing I am quite clear about," she turned and looked directly at Harry. "Whatever the Prophecy may say about you having to kill Voldemort, Harry, you won't be doing it alone. I shall be right by your side, with Professor Dumbledore on the other. And with our combined powers,

"I'm absolutely convinced we can win."

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N -** That's all, folks. I realise there might be some unanswered questions, but I was a rookie when I wrote this, so indulge me a little, please. I do have an idea for a one-shot H/S fic rolling around my brain, but I'm going to wait and see what the HBP has in store for our man before I write it. I expect I'll be back, anyhow. Like I said, I'm addicted.

**Emma Barrows - **Thanks, Emma. What's new? The Half-Blood Prince, of course!

**Thouandl **- I had to leave the chapter somewhere, and you can't really expect an author to pass up the opportunity of a cliffie, can you? Lots of love and thanks for all your support. Severusgirlx

**Queen of the Faeries** - The mirror. Yes, I admit a convenience to fit my plot. When I was a child (in the UK), there was a little kiosk near where my nana lived that was the only place around that sold American comics. Only twice did my mum buy one for me - 'Casper'. I remember in the front there were tiny adverts for 'X-Ray Specs' and 'Spy Pens' etc., which always intrigued me. I saw Neville's mirror as something like that - a cheap stocking-filler that no one had any great expectations of, but which helped on this occasion. Thank you for your reviews. I'm very very glad you didn't remain a silent reader. lol.

**FemmeLoki** - This was my very first fanfic - I hadn't got into the swing of our Sev at that point, that's why there was no snarky comment upon Harry's arrival. I know him better now. But perhaps not as well as I would like! I was so pleased when you returned to us - don't go away for that long ever again! lol.

**Lydia -** I had my thoughts about Snape's origins when I wrote this a few years ago. Those thoughts have changed now. I too hope JKR will bring our Sev into the light. She's led her adult readers to believe he's moving towards redemption. I hope she isn't doing a double-bluff on us. It would break my heart if he turns out to be a double-agent for Voldemort. It would also make a mockery of all the romances we've written about him. As to the body - the sea is cruel. Also, I believe that news of the discovery would have been hurried, and perhaps not all the details conveyed. Albus would have gone swiftly without knowing the full details.


End file.
